Nigeria-Eligible Ezenwata Nominated for U18 Premier League Player of the Season

Fifteen goals. Seven assists. A professional contract at Chelsea. And now a Player of the Season nomination at 17.

Chizaram Ezenwata has had quite a year.

The Chelsea centre-forward is one of eight nominees for the U18 Premier League Player of the Season award — up against teammates and players from Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Tottenham, and Middlesbrough. The winner is announced May 12 at the Premier League Youth Development Conference.

His numbers make the case. Ezenwata scored in six consecutive matches from matchdays two to seven, bagged braces against Reading and West Brom, and picked up two Chelsea Goal of the Month nominations in the same season. He signed his first professional contract with the club in December.

The Nigeria connection: Ezenwata was a 2025 Flying Eagles invitee. He’s tri-national — eligible for Nigeria, Cameroon through his mother, and England where he was born. The race to tie him down internationally is real.

Chelsea clearly believe in him. Fifteen goals in the U18 league is hard to argue with.