Akor Adams to Venezia: Why Sevilla exit is not a step down for the Super Eagles striker

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Super Eagles striker Akor Adams is set to join Venezia, as the club has agreed on terms to sign him from Sevilla, Afrik-Foot reports.

It has been weeks of speculation and negotiations for the Nigerian forward. Coming into the summer, it was obvious that he would be sold. He was first linked with Marseille and some clubs in the Premier League, but none of them made a concrete move.

However, Venezia entered the scene and moved quite swiftly. They first sent in a €10 million bid, which was rejected. Then, they received permission from Sevilla to negotiate with Adams, and those talks concluded quickly.

Then, on Thursday, Venezia’s sporting director, Filippo Antonelli, traveled to Andalusia to complete the deal. The newly promoted Serie A club will first pay Los Nervionenses €16 million, with an additional €7 million in variables, so the total fee could eventually rise to €23 million.

Following the announcement that Adams had reached an agreement with Venezia, many Nigerian fans criticized the Super Eagles star. To many, it is a poor transfer decision made by a player who lacks foresight and ambition.

However, in this piece, we’ll explain why Adams’ transfer is not a bad decision in any way.

La Liga, and Sevilla’s Financial Struggles

First of all, it is important for you to know that Sevilla had already been planning to sell him even before the transfer window opened.

In recent years, La Liga has operated under very stringent financial rules that keep clubs from spending based on their total revenue, rather than just their available cash.

La Liga Case Study

Understanding Sevilla’s Financial Crisis

The ultimate example of La Liga’s strict rules

Imagine a kid who used to get a massive allowance because they did a lot of extra chores. Suddenly, they stop doing those chores, but they keep spending money like they are rich. That is Sevilla FC.

1
The Lost Chores Money

For years, Sevilla regularly played in the Champions League, which is like winning a massive bonus cash prize every year. Because of this extra cash, La Liga gave them a huge salary cap (around €200 million). But when they started playing poorly and missed out on these tournaments, their income collapsed.

2
The Crushed Piggy Bank

Because they weren’t making big money anymore, La Liga recalculated their allowed budget. Their official spending cap plummeted from nearly €200 million down to just €22 million. Meanwhile, they still owed massive, expensive salaries to players they signed in the past.

3
Life in the Penalty Box

Because they spent way past their official limit, La Liga put them in a strict financial timeout. To buy anyone new, they must follow the “1:3” or “1:4” rules—meaning if they want to spend $1 on a new player, they have to save or make $3 to $4 first by selling their current players.

In short: Sevilla is like a kid who used to live in a mansion but is now forced to survive on a tiny allowance, selling off their favorite toys just to keep the lights on.

That is why the club sold some of their best players last summer, such as Dodi Lukebakio, Loïc Badé, and Stanis Idumbo.

Also, all but one of the players they brought in last summer were free transfers. That is why you saw older players like Alexis Sánchez and César Azpilicueta playing for them last season.

As it stands, Sevilla must make one or two more sales. Even Chidera Ejuke might be on the move soon.

Super Eagles and Sevilla stars Chidera Ejuke and Akor Adams

A few clubs in La Liga have this problem. That is why Getafe had to send Christantus Uche out on loan last summer. Barcelona even suffered from this issue, which is why they prioritized free transfers and academy talent three years ago; fortunately, those players came through.

So now you see La Liga clubs having to go as low as the third tier to sign players or even relying on the academy products.

If these clubs don’t sell their big stars, they won’t be able to register their players for the season.

Why This Is Not a Step Down For Akor Adams

Super Eagles and Sevilla forward Akor Adams

Although many fans have termed Akor Adams’ transfer a step down, that is not entirely true.

Last season, Sevilla were neck-deep in a relegation fight. Although they finished 13th in La Liga, they were just a point above the drop zone. If not for Adams’ impressive performance after returning from AFCON 2025, the club would have been in real trouble.

In fact, just one point less than the 43 they garnered, and they would be going down instead of Mallorca.

Two seasons ago, it was exactly the same experience. They finished 17th with 41 points, just one point above the relegation zone.

This coming season, it is difficult to see any improvement, due to their poor player recruitment and lack of stability. So, if Adams had decided to stay in Seville, he probably would have to fight relegation and potentially go down with them.

The choice of Venezia was also because, despite all the clubs rumored to be watching him, only Venezia made actual moves to secure his services — and a desperate club like Sevilla could not have refused.

Venezia, although newly promoted, are not like the other clubs promoted with them. They are even in a better financial position than some Serie A clubs due to a recent injection of €100 million by investors.

Drake reportedly played a key role in securing over $100 million in funding for Italian football club Venezia FC 💸

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So, they have some financial wiggle-room to bring in new talent who can compete. The fact that they have even set out over €16 million for a player is an anomaly for a small Serie A club. They will still make more signings in the coming weeks, and with these players, they can compete.

Venezia have gained promotion and played in Italy’s top-flight before, so they would have learned from their mistakes and know how to be better.

Adams is not an elite striker just yet, but he can be a key piece in their fight for survival. He is strong, quick, skillful, and can score when the chances arrive.

He can also maximize scraps and loose balls, and these are important qualities you need to succeed with a small club in the Italian top flight.

Adams has a big job on his hands to prove that he made the right decision. The deal will likely be finalized and made official next week, so he will be looking to join his new team and strut his stuff.