Salim Fago Laval

Salim Fago Lawal's move to Viktoria Plzeň in January 2026 set a club record for NK Istra 1961, which sold the Nigerian forward for a reported fee of €3 million, made up of a fixed €2.4 million plus up to €600,000 in add-ons. The deal also carries a 10% sell-on clause for the Croatian club and includes a cut of the fee for Mavlon Academy, where Lawal spent part of his development. He signed a contract with Plzeň running until 2029, arriving as a replacement for Rafiu Durosinmi.

Lawal joined Istra in August 2023 from Mavlon FC in his native Nigeria. In Croatia, he made his debut against Rijeka in August 2023 and went on to make 64 appearances for the club, scoring 15 goals and adding two assists. He did not add any league titles or individual awards during his time there, though he finished 19th in the Croatian First League's scoring charts for the 2024/2025 season with five goals.

Internationally, Lawal has represented Nigeria at Under-20 level, where he scored once in five caps, before earning a senior call-up. He made his debut for the senior national team in December 2025 against Egypt and was part of the Nigerian squad that won bronze at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

At Plzeň, the forward now wears the number 7 shirt.