Julius OkorieSuper Eagles goalkeeper, Daniel Akpeyi, has been released by South African club, Marumo Gallants, as the club restructures ahead of the 2025-2026 season.
Daniel Akpeyi, 38, was among nine players shown the exit door by the Siwelele Sa Marumo.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelAside from Akpeyi, other players who were shown the exit doors include Dino Ndlovu,Ibrahima Conde,Kenneth Nthatheni and Siyabulela Shai. Also on the list are Kamohelo Mahlatsi Gabadinho Mhango,Kopano Thuntsane and Vusi Sibiya.
Akpeyi, who joined the club on a free transfer last summer, made just seven league appearances in the 2024-2025 campaign.
It remains unclear whether the veteran goalkeeper, who has spent his entire professional career in South Africa, will hang up his gloves or seek a new challenge. He previously featured for Chippa United, Kaizer Chiefs, and Moroka Swallows.
Akpeyi who began his professional career with defunct Gabros international in 2005, subsequently featured at various times for three other Nigerian Premier League clubs viz Nasarawa United, Heartland and Warri Wolves before joining South Africa side Chippa United in the 2015 initially on a two year contract.
He remained with the club till 2019 when he joined Kaizer Chiefs. Before 2022 Akpeyi remained a must play for the clubs he featured for.
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One of his easily remembered records was nine clean sheets recorded in the South Africa’s Professional Soccer League (PSL) while with Kaizer Chiefs in the 2019/20 season. It remained the most clean sheets kept by a Chiefs goalkeeper in a league season since Itumeleng Khune kept 16 clean sheets in the 2017/18 league season.
It was not just about club football for Akpeyi as he equally made impact in junior and senior national teams, winning Silver at the FIFA U-20 World Cup Holland in 2005,Bronze at the Summer Olympics 2016 in Brazil and Bronze at the 2019 Nations Cup in Egypt. He made 18 appearances for the Super Eagles between 2015 and 2021.
Meanwhile Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle is expected to grace the Federation Cup final between Kwara United and Abakaliki FC billed for Saturday June 28 at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan.
Chelle who picked 10 home based players for Eagles recent outing in the Unity Cup tournament in London is hoping to identify more players that can be given a chance to showcase their skills ahead of the forth coming 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN).
The tournament which is an exclusive for players plying their trade in the local leagues in the continent will be co-hosted by Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania this August.
Nigeria has been drawn in Group D alongside Congo, Equatorial Guinea, and Sudan.
Julius Okorie is Chief Sports and Entertainment Correspondent for Prime Business Africa. He began his journalism career with the Champion Newspaper and Sporting Champion and later moved on to Daily Independent and the Nation Newspapers. Okorie joined Prime Business Africa in 2024 bringing on board 20 years of experience in writing investigative news on Sports and Entertainment. His well researched and highly informative articles on Sports Business and general entertainment are followed by a wide range of audience.
