FC Basel seeks revival with Belgian‑Nigerian loan signing

Under the floodlights of St. Jakob-Park, FC Basel announced the arrival of Belgian‑Nigerian winger Kazeem Olaigbe on a season‑long loan from Trabzonspor, with an option to buy. The signing fills the vacancy left by Julien Duranville, who returned to Dortmund before completing a permanent move to Lyon.

Julien Duranville had been on loan at Basel after leaving Dortmund, but his spell ended when he rejoined his parent club and was subsequently transferred to Lyon. His departure created a need for a left‑wing alternative in Basel’s attack.

During his Basel loan, Duranville featured more than he had at Dortmund, yet he failed to meet the club’s expectations. Basel’s late‑season form suffered, with five defeats in the last six games, and Duranville was an unused substitute in the 4‑0 loss to FC Lugano.

Kazeem Olaigbe arrives with 13 caps for the Belgian U21 side, bringing speed and creativity to the flank. The deal is a loan for one season from Trabzonspor, which includes a purchase option for Basel.

Olaigbe began his senior career at Cercle Brugge before being loaned to Konyaspor, where he supplied passes to Jackson Muleka. Trabzonspor had secured his services a year earlier by paying €5 million to Stade Rennais.

The winger expressed his enthusiasm in the club’s official statement. "FC Basel is a great club with a long tradition and a reputation for developing young players. With my technique and creativity I want to help the team with assists and goals, and I can’t wait to play in St. Jakob‑Park and please the supporters," said Kazeem Olaigbe.

Technical director Andreas Herrmann echoed the optimism. "Kazeem will enrich our attack with his speed, one‑on‑one efficiency and versatility. We see him as a high‑quality player with great potential, and we believe Basel offers the ideal conditions for him to relaunch his career," he said. Basel hopes his arrival will revive an offense that has struggled in recent weeks.