Newly promoted Primeira Liga side C.S. Marítimo have announced the signing of Lagos-born midfielder Ibrahim Alani from Spanish club Real Valladolid.
Alani has joined last season's Liga Portugal 2 champions on a three-year contract, with Real Valladolid having a buy-back option.
Alani transferred to Real Valladolid at the age of 18 ahead of the 2024-25 season.
During his debut season with the club, he featured fifteen times for the reserve team and also broke into the first team, appearing in three La Liga matches.
He went on to make 15 appearances in the Segunda División during the 2025-26 season, accumulating 347 minutes of playing time.
A physically imposing player with a commanding presence in the middle of the park, Alani adds strength and depth to Mitchell van der Gaag's options for the new season.
In April 2025, Alani was called up to the Flying Eagles squad ahead of the Africa U-20 Cup of Nations.
However, he struggled with the high temperatures and humidity during his stay in Nigeria, which affected his ability to acclimatise and prepare adequately for the tournament, eventually leading to dehydration.
Following an agreement between Real Valladolid and the Nigeria Football Federation, Alani did not travel with the Flying Eagles squad for the tournament in Egypt..
Ifeanyi Emmanuel
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