Tanimu eyes promotion with Crawley

New Crawley Town signing Benjamin Tanimu said one of his ambitions at the League One club is to help them reach the highest level of English football while also propelling his career, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Tanimu joined his new teammates on Monday in the United Kingdom, some weeks after he was signed from Singida Black Stars, formerly Ihefu in Tanzania.

The Super Eagles defender had his first training session with the club on Tuesday and had sat down with the club’s media department for his first interview on Monday.

“I’m thrilled to be here,” Tanimu said.

“Growing up in Nigeria, we all watched the English Premier League, so coming to England is a huge step for me. I’m very happy to join Crawley Town.

“Coming to England is a great opportunity for me to showcase my abilities. I’m also here to help Crawley Town reach the highest level of English football, to get promotion.”

After just one season in Tanzania, Tanimu was linked with Egyptian giants Zamalek and other teams in Africa, but he revealed that the Crawley offer was carefully considered.

“I was surprised to be coming to England,” he said.

“I had offers from several African countries, but when I heard about Crawley’s interest, I thought, ‘Why not?’ So, I jumped at the chance. I’m a player who is always ready to learn, work hard to improve, and I love winning.”

Tanimu joined the Tanzania Premier League club from Bendel Insurance in January and earned his call-up to the Super Eagles shortly after.

He has since played three games for the national team, featuring in the 2-1 friendly win against Ghana in March as well as the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers against South Africa and Benin Republic.

Before his Tanzanian adventure, Tanimu was a consistent figure in Bendel Insurance’s defence in the Nigeria Premier League since their promotion to the Nigerian top flight in 2023.

He scored two goals in 19 appearances for Benin Arsenal before making the move and was also part of their unprecedented 21-game unbeaten run in the league last season.

He also played a key role in their 2023 Federation Cup triumph.