Official: Ikwuemesi leaves Italy’s Salernitana for Belgium’s OH Leuven

With a statement on their official website, Oud-Heverlee Leuven have announced the signing of Nigerian striker Chukwubuikem Ikwuemesi from Italian club US Salernitana, Soccernet.ng reports.

The 22-year-old forward joins the Belgian Pro League side on a three-year deal, with the transfer fee reported to be €1.8 million.

Salernitana will also receive 10% of any future transfer fee for Ikwuemesi, who has previously played for NK Celje.

Ikwuemesi shared his enthusiasm for the move, expressing his commitment to his new club:

“OH Leuven is the right club for me. I will give everything for this shirt because I felt welcome here right away. The people within the club give me a lot of confidence, so I want to repay them with victories and goals.”

He will don the number 19 jersey at OH Leuven, having worn the kit number 22 at Salernitana.

OH Leuven's CEO, Frédéric Van den Steen, expressed his excitement about the new addition to the squad, highlighting Ikwuemesi's potential and eagerness to contribute:

“Ikwuemesi is a young player with enormous potential and room for growth. His profile gives us many possibilities in the attack line. We are very happy with his arrival, but the most important thing is that the player was very hungry to come to OH Leuven. Because players who are eager, usually perform better. We are confident that with the support of our fantastic audience he will soon make the net vibrate!”

Ikwuemesi joined Salernitana last summer from Slovenian PrvaLiga side NK Celje, where he impressed with 11 goals and five assists in 37 appearances.

However, his time at Salernitana was less successful, with just three goals and two assists in 27 games. Salernitana, who were relegated after finishing at the bottom of Serie A, had only returned to the top flight in 2021 after a long absence.

Seeking a new challenge, Ikwuemesi opted to move to OH Leuven despite having three years left on his contract with Salernitana.

Before his stints in Italy and Slovenia, he played for Austria's Vorwärts Steyr and developed his skills at Nigeria's Giant Brillars and Olive Charles Academy.

At OH Leuven, Ikwuemesi will look to follow in the footsteps of fellow Nigerians Cyriel Dessers and Azubuike Oliseh.

The club, which shares ownership with Premier League team Leicester City FC, aims to build a team capable of winning the Belgian league title for the first time in its history.

Under Spanish coach Óscar García, OH Leuven finished 10th in the 16-team Belgian Pro League last season.