'They owed me for 8 months' — AFCON 2013 champion explains why he is jobless

Ogenyi Onazi in action for Super Eagles || Imago

'They owed me for 8 months' — AFCON 2013 champion explains why he is jobless

Faruq Ibrahim 14:20 - 17.01.2025

Super Eagles midfielder Ogenyi Onazi explained why he is currently in the free agent market.

Super Eagles midfielder Ogenyi Onazi has explained why he terminated his contract at Avezzano and is currently without a club. 

The 2013 AFCON winner has been a journeyman since leaving Turkish Super Lig outfit Trabzonspor in 2019; he has played for eight clubs in those five years. 

His most recent employers were Avezzano in the Serie D, and after less than a year at the club, he terminated his contract and is now a free agent. 

What Onazi said 

In a conversation with Turkish publication Fanatik, the former Lazio ace explained the reason for his current job status. 

In an incident ilmessaggero also reported, Onazi explained that the club's president, Andrea Pecorelli, was arrested; he was embroiled in a fraud and self-laundering scandal. 

Ogenyi Onazi of Nigeria during the International Friendly Länderspiel match between England and Nigeria at Wembley Stadium, London, England on 2 June 2018
Ogenyi Onazi of Nigeria during the International Friendly Länderspiel match between England and Nigeria at Wembley Stadium, London, England on 2 June 2018

The 32-year-old former El Kanemi Warriors midfielder revealed that the club could not pay salaries and hence owed him for eight months, leading to his decision to terminate his contract. 

“I am still actively playing football at the moment,” Onazi said. “I terminated my contract in Italy because the club's president was allegedly involved in fraud. And he has not paid my salary for 8 months.”

Onazi is uninterested in retiring yet and is in search of a new club. Last October, he stated that he was yet to retire from the national team and is still available to be called up

Tags: