Rivers United coach, Stanley Eguma has expressed his concern over the challenge faced by clubs in Nigeria Premier League with retaining their top players due to the financial incentives and allure presented by clubs within and outside Africa.

The influence of money has consistently played a pivotal role in football, with players viewing the sport as a profession characterized by a relatively short career span.

As a result, they are inclined to explore the most lucrative opportunities available to them during their careers.

Similar to how players are drawn from Europe to Saudi Arabia by substantial financial rewards, players also tend to leave the Nigeria Premier League for even lesser-known clubs that offer higher and more appealing remuneration packages than their current earnings.

In a conversation with FL, Stanley Eguma acknowledges the driving factors that lead players to seek opportunities outside the league.

While he wishes for players to remain and contribute to the consistent progression of the club’s sporting project, he admits their vulnerability to more enticing offers that come their way.

“We embrace continuity because it’s one of the things that can make you have a very solid team but when it has to do with players’ contracts, it’s complicated,” Eguma said.

“When players do well with Rivers United, you will find out that other clubs, especially outside the country, seek for their services and these players are lured over due to money and also to better their career. So they want to go for such big offers.

“Money is one of the reasons why players move. You see a ton of players leaving because they are going for greener pastures and when a players contract is over, he becomes a free agent and he’s bound to leave.

“I think that the most important thing is that the players look at the offers critically before they take off.”