By:
Graeme Hanna
Armstrong Oko-Flex has signed for Bulgarian league leaders Levski Sofia, from domestic rivals Botev Plovdiv.
The 23-year-old has progressed in the Eastern European nation, with six goals in 18 appearances since January proving enough for the capital club to make their move for the Dublin-born player.
Levski Sofia are said to have triggered a €300,000 release clause in the striker’s Botev contract, but they have disputed the terms of the switch.
In the Bulgarian press, Botev have claimed accusations of improper conduct, and a dispute over contract clauses.
Armstrong Oko-Flex is now progressing in Bulgaria
https://twitter.com/reptracker/status/2011542831664345458
Levski becomes the sixth club of Oko-Flex’s career at such a young age, but he will be hoping that the move to one of the biggest clubs in Bulgaria can push him on to another level.
He was very highly-rated as a youth prospect, with spells at Arsenal, Celtic, and West Ham United not quite unlocking the player’s full potential.
In 2023, Armstrong Oko-Flex opted to move to the continent to spark his career and a productive experience in Switzerland led to his Bulgaria switch.
He may have scored just two goals in 29 games for FC Zurich, but the time in a foreign country prepared him for what would come next.
That was a move to Botev Plovdiv in August last year, and he has hit the ground running in the Bulgarian First League.
Oko-Flex comments on Ireland international prospects
Oko-Flex has signed a two-and-a-half-year deal with Levski Sofia and will be in line to make his debut when the league resumes from its winter break next month.
The priority will be to contribute to the Blues’ title charge and a possible tilt at Champions League qualification.
If he continues on the goal trail in Bulgaria, further interest could arrive from elsewhere in Europe, including England, but the player knows he needs to continue to work hard.
When asked about his international prospects last month, Armstrong Oko-Flex gave a grounded response:
“Right now, as in where I am right now, I wouldn’t expect anything right now,” he told the Irish Independent.
Internationally, I just know that for me, I just need to keep doing what I can do and hopefully pushing up the levels. We never know what can happen in the future.
Oko-Flex namechecked Bosun Lawal, Conor Coventry, and Troy Parrott (who continues to excel for AZ in the Netherlands) as teammates from the underage teams in the Republic of Ireland setup, and points to their varying progress at senior international level as an encouraging sign.
“I’ve played with a lot of the players in the squad and it’s good to see that they’re doing well there and they get the chance there, he said.
“I feel like it shows every young player that if you do well and show what you can do, it’s very possible.”
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