Who Is Samu Aghehowa? Why €100m Olympic Champion Has Caught the Attention of Arsenal and Spurs

Who is Samu Aghehowa? That is a question many fans of Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are asking after seeing their teams linked with a possible transfer move for the 21-year-old Spain international.

Newcastle and Nottingham Forest are also said to be interested in Aghehowa, who currently plays his club football in Portugal with FC Porto.

Who is Samu Aghehowa?

Samu Aghehowa is a physically imposing and dynamic central striker known for his sharp movement and lethal finishing ability.

He was born in Melilla, an autonomous city of Spain on the North African coast, and played for both Sevilla and Granada during an impressive youth career.

That youth career saw Aghehowa represent Spain at U19, U21 and then U23 level, winning an Olympic football gold medal with the latter at the 2024 Paris Games.

Aghehowa never made the first team at Sevilla, but he scored on his one and only La Liga appearance for Granada — a 3-1 defeat away at Atletico Madrid in August 2023.

Just a week after scoring against them, Aghehowa signed for Atletico, who immediately loaned him out to Alaves for the remainder of the 2023/24 season. He scored eight goals in 35 matches for Alaves.

Aghehowa was targeted by Chelsea in the summer of 2024, but he eventually moved to Porto instead.

He played for Porto at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup and has emerged as one of the Champions League wonderkids to watch this season.

How much is Samu Aghehowa worth?

Porto paid €15million to sign Samu Aghehowa from Atletico Madrid, who retained a 50% sell-on clause, in August 2024.

His value has risen sharply since then, thanks to Aghehowa scoring 35 goals in 55 games for Porto.

Aghehowa’s contract at Porto is widely understood to include a €100m (£88m) release clause.

Samu Aghehowa’s style of play

Standing at 1.93m (6ft 4in), Aghehowa combines his size and strength with surprising pace and agility. He is the archetypal modern No 9 — able to occupy defenders physically, run in behind, and press aggressively from the front.

Aghehowa is particularly effective when Porto counter-attack. His acceleration and power make him difficult to contain, while his finishing with both feet has been described as both “instinctive and precise” by observers in Portugal.

Former Atletico Madrid scout Javier Vidales once described him as “playing the role of two attackers — a target man who occupies defenders and a mobile forward who finds space.” Aghehowa is also strong in the air, routinely scoring from crosses and set pieces, and is known for his relentless work rate when tracking back to defend.

What has been said about Samu Aghehowa?

Porto president Andre Villas-Boas recently revealed that Aghehowa was initially part of a joint development project with Atletico Madrid before Porto secured full control of his sporting rights.

“We started this Samu project with Atletico, Villas-Boas told AS. “At first, it was 50/50. Now we’ve managed to buy all of his rights. We want him to grow and become what we believe he will be. Joining Porto was the right step for him. The club is also a family, and he felt at home.”

Villas-Boas went on to describe Aghehowa as “a super player” and “one of the best scorers in the world despite his young age”, confirming that Porto have already rejected multiple approaches from other clubs.

Spanish media have echoed that excitement. Fichajes reported this week that “Samu Aghehowa’s name has become one of the most coveted in the European market,” citing his “spectacular goalscoring record” and calling him “a striker with the capacity to change a club’s project overnight”.

Could Samu Aghehowa be headed to the Premier League?

Tottenham, Arsenal and Newcastle are all said to be monitoring Aghehowa ahead of the January transfer window. Spurs are believed to see him as a potential long-term replacement for Richarlison, while Arsenal could apparently make a move if Gabriel Jesus departs next year.

Meanwhile, Newcastle’s interest is described as “conditional”, but they are not ruling out entering the race.

Reports in Spain suggest that Porto’s ongoing financial issues could make them open to selling for less than the €100m release clause — especially if bids arrive early in the window.

Tottenham are reportedly accelerating their efforts to sign the striker, but they face stiff competition.

Given his remarkable rise in Portugal, his Olympic gold medal, and his early exposure to international football — he already has three senior caps for Spain — it is no surprise that the 21-year-old has become one of the hottest names in the transfer market.

If a Premier League club does meet Porto’s demands — or at least comes close — Samu Aghehowa could soon be the next Spanish star lighting up English football.