A bidding war appears to be brewing for a striker whose time at his current club seems to be drawing to a close, with interest emerging from not just within South Africa but also from Eastern Europe.
With his contract coming to an end at Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs reportedly interested in him, it has emerged that a Russian club is interested in the striker.
READ: The Fresh Exits Expected At Pirates
Insiders very close to both the Brazilians and the player have indicated that a Russian club had enquired about Etiosa Ighodaro who was on loan last season.
The insider added that Russian team FC Baltika from Kaliningrad has been monitoring and has enquired about Ighodaro who spent last season on loan at AmaZulu FC.
"It's a team from Russia. Yes, they've been monitoring Ighodaro for some time now and it's believed they have eventually made up their mind and they want to sign him. They are happy that he is a big striker who can use both his feet to shoot, can dribble and can also score with his head. That's very rare and that's what they are looking for. That's what they are looking at. Yes, it's a big club. It's called FC Beltika," the insider told Soccer Laduma.
A second Siya source stated that FC Baltika are believed to be offering the Nigerian striker over R7 million a year in salary.
READ: Downs Coach: I Have To Be Honest With Myself
"There is a big offer there. Actually it's a huge offer from Russia. It's around US $400,000 (approximately R7,1 million). That's over R7 million just in salaries. So that means they are really serious about him. That's the offer in salaries only without the signing on fee," the second source revealed.
The 23-year-old spent last season on loan at AmaZulu FC and it's believed that Sundowns are willing to release him when his contract expires and Kaizer Chiefs are monitoring the situation.
The emergence of FC Baltika as a serious contender could significantly complicate Chiefs' pursuit of the Nigerian forward. With the substantial financial package reportedly on offer from Russia, Ighodaro faces a career-defining decision between remaining in the familiar environment of South African football or testing himself in the Russian Premier League.
His versatile attacking skills and aerial ability clearly have admirers beyond South Africa's borders, potentially triggering a three-way tussle for his signature in the coming weeks.
Photo by Gallo
