Chiedozie Ogbene tipped for Premier League move.
Chiedozie Ogbene could be ready for a move to the Premier League, according to former Ireland striker Stephen Elliott.
Since making his Ireland debut in June of last year, Ogbene has been a revelation in a green shirt, scoring three times in seven appearances for Stephen Kenny’s side.
Chiedozie Ogbene impact.
His best moment arguably came last Saturday, when he truly announced himself to the Irish public by scoring his first goal at the Aviva Stadium and in spectacular fashion too, with an overhead kick against Belgium.
The 24-year-old’s strike against the world’s number one team has been shared far beyond these shores and given the technical skill involved, many may be surprised that Ogbene is still plying his trade in the English third tier for Rotherham United.
Deployed mostly as a wing-back for the Yorkshire side, Ogbene has certainly caught the eye in a more advanced wide role for Ireland, but Elliott feels that he could move to a more central role in the future.
Sensational ?
?? Chiedozie Ogbene with the acrobatic finish ?♂️@EdozieOgbene | @FAIreland pic.twitter.com/dYGpNZxFfX
— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) March 31, 2022
Stephen Elliott on Chiedozie Ogbene.
“He’s done really well since he’s come into the international set-up,” the ex-Sunderland striker said on the RTE Soccer Podcast.
“He’s playing League One football albeit in a different kind of formation than Stephen Kenny is utilising but he’s somebody I look at and I think he could potentially play through the middle himself as that kind of target man.
“Ogbene is quick, pacey but the one thing I will say is that he needs to be a little bit cleverer with his movement in the box.
“Sometimes you’re watching his movements and he ventures into offside positions and that will take time… He’s never really played through the middle but I do think there is something there.”
Could a Premier League move await?
Rotherham are currently sitting on top of League One and look a good bet for promotion to the Championship and that’s a level that Elliott feels Ogbene would be comfortable in, if not a a little bit higher up the English football ladder.
“With the type of player he is, he is more than capable of playing at a higher level,” added the nine-times-capped international.
“The way he plays, he’s physically strong enough, he’s athletic and you can see him now when he’s playing he’s confident.
“He’ll be going back to club level now and he’ll be in a really strong position. I think he’ll have a lot of clubs looking at him potentially signing, even potentially some Premier League clubs.
“That’s what I would be thinking now with the impact he’s had in international football and his style of game.
“I think there are a lot of clubs in the Premier League that will be fully aware of him. I’m not saying he’s definitely going to go and move to the Premier League. Obviously Championship clubs would be aware of him playing that well.”
Whatever the future holds at club level for Ogbene, he has certainly staked his claim to be a big player for Kenny’s side going forward.
With the Nations League campaign kicking off in June, Ireland supporters will be hoping for many more moments like the one on Saturday.