He finished the NPFL season with 14 goals in 31 games for Rivers United, and was the club’s second highest goal scorer of the season behind Chijioke Akuneto who scored 19.
Rafiu also helped the Port-Harcourt club to their first Nigeria Professional Football League title, it’s first since the 2016 merger of now defunct Port-Harcourt clubs, Dolphins and Sharks.
What is Rivers United saying?
In an official statement on Wednesday, the Nigerian club branded everyone who shared the news of Rafiu’s signing as ‘mischief makers’.
“The attention of the Management of Rivers United football club of Port Harcourt has been drawn to a fictitious report being circulated in a section of the social media suggesting that our player Ishaq Rafiu Kayode has left the club,” the Nigerian champions said in their statement.
“Such report is completely false and a product of the imagination of mischief makers with the intent of misleading the unsuspecting members of the public.”
“Ishaq Rafiu Kayode is still a bonafide player of Rivers United FC as his contract with the team is still valid and as such any purported transfer without the knowledge and consent of Rivers United FC will only be a breach of contract.”
“As a club, we are not aware of any such purported transfer as the player only absconded from the club and this position has been made known to FIFA thus any acquisition of the player without our consent is null and void.”
“It is important to also note that Rivers United FC remain the only club that can release the said player to any other club when the proper things are done.”
Maribor announce Rafiu on a 3-year deal
The 2022 Slovenian PrvaLiga champions announced the 21-year-old’s signing, revealing that he will join them on a 3-year contract.
A statement on Tuesday on the NK Maribor’s website by the club’s sporting director, Marko Suler welcomed Ishaq to the club, revealing the rationale behind bringing him to the club.
“We had to respond, to expand the staff we also need a new solution in the wing positions, Suler said in justification of Ishaq’s signing.
“I’m glad that we made a deal, Ishaq is here as a player for the present and the future. He comes with good recommendations, like the Nigerian champion.
“Last season he scored 14 goals, if he had played all the matches until the end, he could have become the best scorer in the championship,” the statement read.
Seeking Europa League football
Following their 1-0 aggregate defeat to Sheriff Tiraspol in this season’s Champions League second qualifying round, the Slovenian club have been transferred to the third qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League play-offs.
Should they win their two-legged tie against HJK, they would make the group stages of the competition. Should they lose, they would be transferred to this season’s Europa Conference League group stage.
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