Ime Okon off the mark in Germany | OneFootball

Okon opens Hannover 96 account

Photo: 96/Redaktion

South African defender Ime Okon scored his first goal for his new club, Hannover 96, in the 3-1 win over Magdeburg in the German Bundesliga 2.

The center-back signed for the German outfit on a free transfer in July following the expiry of his contract with the now-defunct SuperSport United in the Betway Premiership at the end of the previous campaign.

Okon inked a four-year deal with Hannover, putting an end to swirling speculations about a potential move to Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs, Ukrainian powerhouse Dynamo Kyiv and Qatar SC, among other clubs that were said to be interested in his services.

The 21-year-old stalwart, who is eligible to represent the Super Eagles of Nigeria through his paternal background, made his debut for the South African national team during the 2025 COSAFA Cup staged in Bloemfontein.

Now, Okon will be eager to establish himself as a regular feature in Hugo Broos’ Bafana Bafana plans, with the highly anticipated Africa Cup Of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco and the 2026 FIFA World Cup, should South Africa secure their ticket, on the horizon.

He was named in the preliminary squad that will take on Lesotho and Nigeria in the upcoming FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in September, and will be hoping to make the final squad, with competition for places stiff.

Meanwhile, Hannover are currently at the summit of the second-tier standings in Germany, having accumulated nine points as they won their first three league outings. The club is in their seventh consecutive season in the Bundesliga 2 after suffering relegation back in the 2018/19 season.

Okon and his team will swing back into action with a visit to Holstein Kiel on Saturday, 30 August. While their start to the campaign is impressive, Hannover have been knocked out of the DFB Pokal in the first round.