By Eniwoke Ibagere BBC Sport Online, Lagos

Former African Player of the Year Rashidi Yekini is likely to join Nigerian club Julius Berger FC, in what seems a swan song to an illustrious career.

Striker Yekini, popularly called 'Goals Father' or 'Ye-king' in his Super Eagles days, has been training with Berger at their Abeokuta base, some 100 kilometres from Lagos.

Berger FC spokesman George Ude told BBC Sport Online that Yekini's Ivorien manager is working hard to secure the player's services for the club.

"His former club is not making it easy but if Berger can get him, that will be great at least from the fans angle," Ude said.

"Many of them like him and are already looking forward to our matches this season."

Returning to club football in Nigeria will be a fitting end to what Yekini has given to the sport.

A former automobile mechanic, he began his career with UNTL FC in the northern city of Kaduna.

He subsequently moved south to Ibadan to join Shooting Stars FC, which he helped reach the 1984 finals of the African Champions Cup (now Champions League).

In the same year, Yekini made his debut for the Super Eagles at the African Cup of Nations in the Ivory Coast.

But his best outing on the continent was at the 1994 Nations Cup.

'Ye-king' scored five goals to help Nigeria win the tournament and was then crowned African Player of the Year.

Yekini's goals were also crucial in helping Nigeria secure its debut at the 1994 World Cup.

He scored the country's first World Cup goal in the 3-0 thrashing of Bulgaria.

But the striker did not achieve that same success in his club career.

After leaving Shooting Stars, Yekini's first club abroad was Africa Sports in Abidjan.

Later on, he joined Portugal's Vitoria Setubal, where he was the top scorer for many years.

After the 1994 World Cup, Yekini signed for Greek club Olympiakos.

But the move turned sour because he complained of getting 'slave treatment' from the club.

He eventually left the club, returned to his Kaduna home before joining Setubal again.

Yekini then played for Sporting Gijon in Spain, Swiss-side Zurich FC and a club in Saudi Arabia.

Before his latest plan to sign for Berger, Yekini had thought of playing for Africa Sports, but this did not materialise.