After thirteen years wearing the same colours, Kevin Akpoguma is finally stepping into unfamiliar territory. The Super Eagles centre-back is set to complete his move to newly promoted Serie A side Frosinone, closing the door on a Hoffenheim chapter that shaped his entire professional career and opening a brand-new one in Italian football.
A Free Transfer Born From a Difficult Farewell
Akpoguma’s exit from Hoffenheim was not the triumphant send-off a 13-year servant might expect. The 31-year-old joined the Bundesliga club from Karlsruher all the way back in 2013, working his way through loan spells at Fortuna Düsseldorf and Hannover 96 before finally cementing himself as a trusted regular in Hoffenheim’s back line. But his final season told a very different story. Under manager Christian Ilzer, Akpoguma was pushed to the fringes, managing just eight or nine appearances and, by some reports, as little as 70 minutes of action across the entire campaign. When his contract expired at the end of June 2026, both sides quietly agreed there would be no renewal, leaving one of the club’s most experienced defenders searching for a fresh start as a free agent.
Enter Frosinone, and a New Chapter in Italy
That fresh start has arrived in the form of Frosinone, who earned promotion back to Serie A last season after finishing second in Serie B, and who now want Akpoguma’s know-how to help them survive among Italy’s elite. Reports from respected Italian transfer insider Gianluca Di Marzio and Sky Sport Italia confirm the two parties have reached full agreement, with Akpoguma flying to Italy for his medical and expected to sign a two-year contract almost immediately after.
This is genuinely uncharted territory for the Nigerian international. Every club stop of his career to date — Karlsruher, Fortuna Düsseldorf, Hannover 96, Hoffenheim — has been in Germany. Serie A represents his first taste of professional football outside the Bundesliga system, and it comes at a fascinating stage of his career, when a change of scenery could be exactly what reignites his form.
Versatility That Should Suit Serie A Perfectly
One detail should excite Frosinone fans immediately: Akpoguma isn’t a one-dimensional defender. He is capable of playing as a central defender, a right-back, or a left-back, giving new head coach flexibility across the entire backline. For a newly promoted side bracing for the physical and tactical demands of Serie A survival, that kind of positional adaptability is exactly the sort of experienced depth clubs quietly rely on.
A Nigerian Reunion in Italy
Akpoguma won’t be facing this challenge alone. He arrives in Serie A alongside fellow Super Eagles international Akor Adams, who recently completed a record-breaking move to fellow newly promoted club Venezia. It’s a notable moment for Nigerian football, with two senior internationals now plying their trade in Italy’s top flight at the same time, adding another thread to the growing Super Eagles presence across Europe’s major leagues.
Akpoguma represented Germany at youth level before switching his international allegiance to Nigeria, and has earned eight caps for the Super Eagles since his 2020 debut. Whether this Serie A move eventually revives his international prospects remains to be seen, but for now, the story is simple: a well-travelled Bundesliga veteran is betting on Italy to write the next chapter of his career.
