NPFL: Musa set for third Pillars debut

Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa is in contention to make his third debut for former champions Kano Pillars when they host Sunshine Stars in a Nigeria Premier Football League match-day five fixture at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium in Katsina on Sunday, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Musa and Nigeria midfielder Shehu Abdullahi rejoined the Sai Masu Gidas on short-term contracts for the 2024/25 season.

Both players were pictured at the training ground of the former champions on Thursday, preparatory to their home game against the Owena Waves.

“Ahmed Musa, Shehu Abdullahi, Nazir Laja, and the rest of the squad trained ahead of the NPFL 2024/25 Matchday 5 clash against Sunshine Stars this weekend,” the club said via X on Friday.

Musa and Abdullahi will be seen as key additions to coach Usman Abadallah’s squad following their tepid start to the season, winning just one of their opening four games, leaving them 14th on the log with four points.

The 31-year-old Musa is rejoining Pillars for a third stint after featuring for them between 2009/10 and 2021.

Abdullahi, on the other hand, will be featuring for Pillars for the second time, having played for them in 2012.

The defensive midfielder has been without a club since January 2023, while Musa also terminated his contract with Turkish club Sivasspor in February.

Although the NPFL 2024/25 summer transfer window has closed, the Super Eagles duo walked into the squad as free agents.

The head of competitions of the NPFL, Sunday Obaseki, had also confirmed this to our correspondent when Musa hinted about his return to the Nigerian topflight.

“Yes, he can be registered. Ahmed Musa will be on the Transfer Matching System, so he won’t have a problem,” Obaseki said.

Champions Rangers International had expressed interest in snapping up the Super Eagles captain before he rejoined his former club.

During Musa’s first spell at Pillars in 2009, he ended the season as the top scorer with 18 goals before joining VVV Venlo in the Dutch Eredivisie.

His European adventure has seen him play for CSKA Moscow and Leicester City before moving to Saudi Arabia to play for Al Nassr.