Former Russian champions eyeing Nigerian Club World Cup star who scored 6.5 against Chelsea

The midfielder star was one of the five players from Nigeria who played at the newly revamped FIFA Club World Cup which Chelsea won

Nigerian midfielder Onuche Ogbelu has emerged as a potential transfer target for Russian Premier Liga club Rubin Kazan, Soccernet.ng reports.

Ogbelu was one of the players that finished third with Nigeria at the 2022 Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations.

Then, just months later, he sealed a transfer to Tunisian club Esperance, and he has grown to become an important player for the club over the last two years.

The central midfielder has registered 57 appearances for the club so far. He was also a key player for Esperance at the FIFA Club World Cup.

He played 90 minutes in all three of their group stage games, albeit they were knocked out of the competition without a point.

Ogbelu was decent in all of Esperance's games, including their 3-0 loss against Chelsea, when he was rated 6.5 after registering an 85% pass accuracy, two blocks, and won four of his eight duels.

The young Nigerian midfielder has returned to domestic action with his club, but he just might not stay there for long.

This is as journalist Anar Ibragimov reports that Rubin Kazan have identified the former Flying Eagles star as a transfer target.

Will Nigerian midfielder Onuche Ogbelu Sign For Rubin Kazan?

Onuche Ogbelu is fresh off a one-year contract extension at Esperance which will keep him at the club until 2026.

They value the young Nigerian midfielder at around €2 million, which is significantly higher than his €700k value on Transfermarkt.

Rubin Kazan rate Ogbelu highly and could put in a bid in the coming days, as they look to acquire players who will boost their push for the Russian Premier Liga title.

Although Ogbelu is a key player for the Tunisian club, if Rubin Kazan meet their valuation, they might be willing to sell.

The Rubinovye are one of the historic clubs in Russia. They have won the Russian League and the Russian Cup multiple times, so they will be an enticing option for Ogbelu