Two of the leading teams in Greece, PAOK Salonica and AEK Athens, have joined the race to sign fast-rising midfielder Obinna Nwobodo, SCORENigeria can exclusively report.
Nwobodo, who played an important role in the Nigeria Under 20 team winning the Africa Youth Chanmpionship in 2015, hit the football headlines in Turkey last weekend, when it emerged he turned down the chance of earning three times his current contract if he joined American M.L.S side, F.C Cincinnati.
Goztepe had reluctantly accepted a $2m (about N1.1b) transfer fee offer for Nwobodo, but the former Rangers International of Enugu linchpin, despite lucrative personal terms, opted not to move to America so he can concentrate on helping Goztepe stay in the Turkish Super Lig.
Now it has been revealed that PAOK and AEK are tracking the player with a view to snapping him up in the summer transfer window.
A close confidant of the player told SCORENigeria: “Joining Cincinnati presented a great opportunity for Obinna to prepare for life after football for him and his family but then being the kind of person he is, he had to consider the situation of his current team.
“They are really in a bad position and were only pressured to accept the offer by Cincinnati who pushed so hard by offering them such a high transfer fee.
“In electing to stay back and help the team battle relegation, Nwobodo also decided to take his chances at the end of the season.
“PAOK and AEK are two clubs who have shown keen interest in him. Koln of Germany too. Discussions are going on and everything will be clearer as the days go by.”