The European football off-season isn’t a time I pay particular attention to largely because it spreads the gospel of the big teams and some of the brightest talents of the previous campaign. One should expect the South Americans to enjoy this moment because they always have one big name either swap one top team for another or he’s leaving a “smaller” team for a top one. South America constantly produces top talents which remains enviable. Their continental tournament, the Copa America, can easily be ranked second only to the FIFA World Cup simply because you get to see majority of the football world’s biggest names.
Its only the third official day of the 2015 summer transfer window and the South Americans are smiling again; see Jackson Martínez already joined Atlético Madrid and Danilo, a Brazilian right back, cost Real Madrid over 30 million Euros. In 2014, Luis Suárez (Uruguay) joined Barça while James Rodriguez (Colombia) joined Real Madrid while Angel Di Maria (Argentina), know him? Of course! He is the speedy winger who lobbed Vanzekin in the final of the Olympics football tournament, Beijing 2008. Well, he left Real Madrid for Manchester United about a year ago. In 2013, Barça signed a Brazilian from Santos, in 2011 Manchester City signed Sergio Agüero and the list is endless so better halt it here.
For a while, in fact since Fenerbahçe re-signed Emmanuel Emenike from Spartak Moscow in 2013, perhaps no Nigerian has joined a clubside that big. Before then, Victor Moses joined Chelsea, but now he’s at Stoke City and hasn’t been called up in a while, see? At some time Liverpool looked keen on Ogenyi Onazi, but he’s still at Lazio and doesn’t seem to interest Liverpool anymore.
Looking at this season’s transfers so far, of course Nigerian players haven’t interested the big clubs but few transfer decisions have stood out, let’s look at them, shall we?
Anthony Ujah
He was a standout performer for FC Cologne, did enough to get himself back in the limelight with a controversial goal celebration but it was his contribution on the field that has earned him a move to Werder Bremen as early as April pending the official opening of the transfer window.
Having finished in the continental places last season, Ujah and his new teammates will play in the Bundesliga, German Cup next season and that means a lot of game-time is up for grabs. It will be important to see how Anthony Ujah will handle this moment. Will he be comfortable as second or third choice striker or perhaps step up his own game to be Bremen’s first choice striker?
About a month ago, the club vehemently rejected rumors linking Lukas Podolski to the club; whether or not another striker is brought in, Ujah must be determined to be a big part and not a bit-part of the team next season.
Leon Balogun
Leon Balogun just joined German Bundesliga side Mainz 05
Having gained promotion with Darmstadt 98, he smartly chose the option of playing for Mainz 05 next season. With very little experience at the top level, he has been recruited primarily as back-up to the established members of the backline; with Mainz 05 seeing him as ample cover for any of the back four. Leon is an ambitious fellow and one expects that he wouldn’t be comfortable in such a role.
Osaze Odemwingie
Osaze Odemwingie will feature for Premier League side Stoke City next season
He had a torrid 2014/15 season, battling injury but still managed to secure a year-long extension to his Stoke City deal. He is not growing any younger and unlike many of his colleagues who would have swapped for the money spinning Middle East, Osaze is still in Europe; still trying to play at the highest possible level, hungry to prove doubters wrong. He loves this game, and he’s always ready to prove doubters wrong.
Mikel Obi
Unlike Osaze, Mikel Obi is something else. Reports have circulated well that he is interested in moving over to Al Ain in UAE. Such a move will benefit him a whole lot. He will get a lot of money and probably play a lot of football but against whom? Playing regularly matters, but who you play against is equally important. One is not certain if Mikel is going that far for playing time and having won almost all that a footballer craves within his 10-year stint at Chelsea, he may have lost the hunger and desire to yearn for more; but why? Mikel may bow out now, enjoy some time away from the eyes of the world in the Middle East and make more money of course, but when he looks back at his career I reckon he will be pleased but equally disappointed with himself for failing to reach the level he promised. A move to the Middle East or even America (should that come up) may not end his international career, at least not now, as he is arguably the best we have but overtime and maybe sooner rather than later it will.
What moves like these do to our football is invaluable. It provides us with more than enough quality in the national pool, give the NFF Technical Committee a good headache when sending out invitations and more importantly, it keeps players on their toes as only the very best will feel indispensable.
Interestingly, a number of the Flying Eagles have secured deals too and they all look promising. It is lifting because the lads hardly played at the level they have been known for yet they have secured deals, good ones at that.
First it was Kingsley Sokari who joined Esperance of Tunisia and that’s okay. One expects that Sokari desires a move to Europe and that may come soon but even more uplifting is the news that Musa Muhammed signed a three-year contract with Turkish side Istanbul Basaksehir FK, a side that will play in the UEFA Europa League this season having finished fourth in the Turkish Super Lig last season. I am optimistic he will get first team opportunities and it is exactly what he (Musa) and Nigeria need at this time.
Kelechi Iheanacho will rejoin Manchester City’s first team on their pre-season. Usually, players stand a better chance of making it into their team’s first team rather than taking the easy way of a loan spell elsewhere, and at his current rate, even though we cannot expect too much from him it is glaring that his talent will get him some opportunities. The hope is that he grabs it well.
And yes, Moses Simon could be playing in the UEFA Champions League next season following an incredible season at Gent. Put the FIFA U-20 World Cup behind you, these boys will blossom again, and when they do, Nigeria will benefit.
AArticle by Tolu Olorunmoteni
