Nigerian striker Joy Omewa has officially met the requirements for a Governing Body Endorsement, GBE, to play in the English Women’s Super League, WSL.

The 22-year-old forward’s impressive club and international performances have earned her the necessary 24 points under the GBE system, which regulates the transfer of foreign players into the WSL.

 

Though Omewa did not qualify for an automatic pass reserved for players who have appeared in at least 80% of their national team’s matches in the past two years, she has accumulated the points through her stellar performances in both domestic and continental competitions.

The GBE points system evaluates players based on league quality, international appearances, continental performance, and club achievements. Omewa earned 12 points from her time at Denmark’s Fortuna Hjorring, a Band 1 league, where she played in nearly every match. Additionally, she secured two points for her appearances in the UEFA Europa League and 10 points for helping Fortuna Hjorring win the Danish league title last season, reaching the exact threshold required for WSL eligibility.

 

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Her newfound eligibility comes as top-flight English clubs Brighton, West Ham, and Aston Villa are reportedly eyeing a move for Omewa during the upcoming January transfer window. According to Soccerdonna, the women’s football equivalent of Transfermarkt, all three clubs are keen to bolster their attacking options with the Nigerian forward.

“Joy Omewa has attracted attention from the WSL, with West Ham, Brighton, and Aston Villa eager to sign her in the winter transfer window,” Soccerdonna reports. “The clubs are understood to be looking to strengthen their forward lines with the 22-year-old.”

 

Omewa’s form this season has been exceptional. She has scored 13 goals in 14 league appearances, helping Fortuna Hjorring sit second in Denmark’s top division, just behind HB Koge. She also netted three goals in the Women’s Champions League before her team’s elimination by St. Polten and added four goals in the UEFA Women’s Europa Cup. Last season, Omewa scored 25 goals across all competitions, leading her team to a domestic and cup double, while also finishing as the league’s top scorer and being named Player of the Season.

 

Omewa’s prolific goal-scoring ability would provide a significant boost to any of the WSL clubs interested in her services. Aston Villa and Arsenal have struggled with finishing this season, with Villa drawing four matches and missing several chances, while Brighton is facing an attacking crisis following Michelle Agyemang’s season-ending ACL injury. West Ham, meanwhile, have struggled in front of goal, scoring just six goals in nine WSL matches and sitting second from bottom in the league.

 

Source: Punch