By: Oma Akatugba
Leon Balogun is already looking forward to the new season with great enthusiasm. The 29-year-old Super Eagles defender moved from Mainz 05 to Brighton Albion in the English premiership on a free transfer. thereby making him one of the few players to have never commanded a transfer fee.
The German-born Nigerian has already started training with his new teammates as well as having a tour around his new city, according to pictures and videos on his Instagram stories. Leon Who had on a personal level, a decent Russia 2018 FIFA world Cup outing, is moving to the English premier league at an age where most of his national team counterparts or African players walk away from the weekly rigours of premiership football to the less demanding but high paying Chinese or Turkish league. This came as a surprise to a lot of football enthusiasts. But Balogun is excited and believes he will succeed in England
“ I always wanted to play in England And I’m a dream chaser. I grow in the challenge so I never spent one thought on how hard it could get. I don’t even care. I will succeed. It’s the best and most exciting league in the world. That’s where you want to be as a player” Balogun told omasports
Two prominent members of the Super Eagles at the just concluded World Cup, namely Odion Ighalo and captain John OBI Mikel make a living playing in China, and both have one time or the other featured in the premier league but at younger ages. They left the colour and glamour of England to China but for mouth-watering contracts, while a large number of them played/play in Turkey.
“The money in China and Turkey is enticing, yes but especially in Turkey, the payment is never guaranteed. And apart from China being far away, I didn’t even have an offer.”
