CHARLOTTE, N.C.听(Wednesday, August 5, 2026)听鈥 Crown Legacy FC today announced听it has loaned Nigerian winger Emmanuel Uchegbu to Croatian side NK听Vara啪din听through the 2026-27 season. The loan has no purchase听option听or obligation.
鈥淭his loan is a fantastic opportunity for Emmanuel to get minutes at a high-level in Europe and continue to push his development further,鈥 said Charlotte FC Assistant General Manager Bobby Belair. 鈥淲ith Vara啪din, he will get the chance to contribute听in听the European Conference League and the Croatian first division against听very good听competition. We wish Emmanuel the best of luck in the upcoming season and look forward to tracking his progress.鈥澨
Uchegbu, 21, joined CLFC on March 13, 2025, from Slovakian side AS听Tren膷铆n, and has since appeared in 37 matches, 31 starts, contributing eight goals and three assists.听This year, the winger joined Charlotte FC in preseason听trainings听and has since appeared in 13 matches with Legacy, scoring twice. Prior to his time in the Queen City,听Uchegbu听tallied 30 appearances with听Tren膷铆n鈥檚 senior squad where he added five goals and two assists in all听competitions.听听
On the international level,听Uchegbu听has three official appearances with Nigeria鈥檚 U-20 squad, having made his youth international debut on Feb. 19, 2023, in a friendly against Senegal. He also scored off the bench in a 2-1 comeback over the Democratic Republic of Congo in an unofficial friendly in preparation for the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations in February 2023.听
Transaction:听Crown Legacy FC听loans Nigerian forward Emmanual听Uchegbu听to NK听Vara啪din听(CRO) through 6/30/27, with no purchase听option听or obligation.听听
Crown Legacy FC Roster as of August 5, 2026:听
Goalkeeper (1): Jahiem Wickham听听
Defenders (3):听Ashton Kamdem,听Willian听Sangoquiza, Jamie Smith听听
Midfielders (2): Daniel Longo, Andrej Suboti膰 听
Forwards (4):听Michael听Ayov铆,听Barzee Blama, Hugo听Mbongue,听Nathan Richmond
