Samuel Kalu

Following his move to Botev Plovdiv, Kalu's current-season form is up 0% on last season (Season 0→9), while his Rating eased 54→19. His peak season for form remains 2020/21 (Season 17).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2025/26	Botev Plovdiv · 8th	23	2	1	6.98	22	9
2023/24	LausanneLoan	21	3	2	7.23	—	—
2022/23	Watford · 11th	9	0	0	6.81	54	0
2021/22	Watford · 19th	4	0	0	6.5	65	0
2021/22	Bordeaux · 20th	11	1	1	6.75	63	6
2020/21	Bordeaux · 12th	20	4	1	6.73	70	17

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 5 earlier seasons in the full career.

Nigeria · international

Side	Apps	G
Nigeria	10	0

Career caps & goals — tournament breakdown in the full career.

Scout report

Squad depthAttacking midfielder

S. Kalu is a 29-year-old attacking midfielder at Botev Plovdiv, rated 19.2 overall by Field Insider's model, ranking 138th of 207 on scout potential in the First League. An experienced operator, he has been a fringe squad member this season (24.7% of available minutes). He brings 0.35 goal contributions per 90 (0.23 goals, 0.12 assists). Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Kalu.

Judged on this season alone, Kalu graded 9 — a workmanlike campaign that ranks 24th of 40 of the 40 attacking midfielders in the First League, on 2 goals and 1 assist in 23 appearances (0.347 involvements per 90).

Year-on-year, that's a clear step up on last season (Season 0 → 9). Over the 4 seasons on record his form has drifted down, peaking in 2020/21.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 19, 28th of 40 of the 40 attacking midfielders in the First League. At 29 Kalu is in his prime years, and a market index of 1.2 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

Below his 2020/21 peak but holding a solid level — the platform for a return is there.

Peak: 2020/21Holding levelRemarkably consistentStepped up 2025/26

Current potential28th of 40 attacking midfielders · First League · 23 apps Current season24th of 40 attacking midfielders · First League · 23 apps 24th-best attacking midfielder in the First League 138th in the First League · potential 28th-highest potential attacking midfielder in the First League

19.2

Ratingi

28th of 40 attacking midfielders

9.1

Seasoni

below regular-starter level

24.7%

Minutes

limited game time

0.35

Goal contrib / 90

modest end product

Output in context · Botev Plovdiv finished 8th of 16 · a mid-table side

Apps

Goals

Assists

G+A

0.09

Goals / app

2 goals in 23 appearances (0.09 per game) — light end product the role wants to see climb. Add 1 assist for 3 goal contributions in all.

Watch points

Game time. Only 24.7% of available minutes — needs a settled run to prove the level.
Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

With a Rating of 19.2, Kalu carries the 28th-highest potential of the attacking midfielders in the First League of 40 — though on just 23 appearances this season, so the standing rests on a small sample. In the final third he profiles as a work-in-progress on end product (0.35 goal contributions per 90). Experienced and reliable, but the value curve is easing (1.1× now → 0.8× projected in three years).

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %24.7%

Available fixtures35 of 35

Goals / 900.231

Assists / 900.116

Goal contribution / 900.347

Defensive actions / 900.693

Player flow

Goal involvements3

Shot conversion %22.2

Shot accuracy %60

Pass accuracy %68

Dribble success %85.1

Cards / 900.347

Foul involvement / 903.466

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~2), then tapers with age. At 29, Kalu sits on 1.2, past its peak and easing. The blue line is Kalu's projected Rating — 19.2 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among attacking midfielders in the First League with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals2

Shots on target9

Shots15

Passing

Assists1

Pass accuracy68%

Possession

Successful dribbles40

Dribble success85.1%

Fouls won19

Defending

Interceptions6

Fouls committed11

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards3

Red cards0

Transfer history

€8M total transfer fees · 6 moves

Botev PlovdivSept 2025 – nowFree

Watford(back from loan)Jul 2024 – Sept 2025

Lausanne(on loan)Sept 2023 – Jul 2024

WatfordJan 2022 – Sept 2023

BBordeauxAug 2018 – Jan 2022€ 8M

GentJan 2017 – Aug 2018

AS Trencinuntil Jan 2017

About S. Kalu

Samuel Kalu Ojim is a 28-year-old attacking midfielder who plays for Botev Plovdiv, born on August 26, 1997 in Aba, standing 177 cm tall. He is from Nigeria. Botev Plovdiv currently sit 8th of 16 in the First League.

This season

In the current season, S. Kalu has made 23 appearances with 2 goals and 1 assist across 779 minutes, averaging a 7.54 match rating over his last 5 rated games, with 3 yellow cards.

When S. Kalu plays, Botev Plovdiv's record this season is 2W-1D-2L.

Recent matches

May 3, 2026: 0-2 loss at home vs Lokomotiv Plovdiv (90 minutes, 6.9 rating)
April 4, 2026: 5-0 win at home vs Spartak Varna (81 minutes, 2 goals, 9.2 rating)
March 20, 2026: 1-0 win away at Slavia Sofia (90 minutes, 7.6 rating)
March 14, 2026: 1-3 loss at home vs Botev Vratsa (90 minutes, 7.3 rating)
March 8, 2026: 0-0 draw away at CSKA 1948 (32 minutes, 6.7 rating)

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates S. Kalu at 19.2 with a Season form score of 9.1, ranking 138th of 207 attacking midfielders in the First League. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

His honours include 2 career titles — among them the Super Liga and the Cup. Full list in the career record.

Career

Across 10 recorded seasons, S. Kalu has totalled 209 club appearances with 28 goals and 8 assists for 6 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2017/18, with 32 appearances for Gent.

S. Kalu's career has also included time at Watford, Lausanne, BBordeaux, Gent and AS Trencin.

On the international stage, S. Kalu has represented Nigeria — 10 caps in our records.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.

Profile

Season stats

Performance data · by competition

Career

Scout report

Output in context · Botev Plovdiv finished 8th of 16 · a mid-table side

Watch points