BY RAYMOND NWADUBA
Bundesliga giants, TSG 1899 Hoffenheim FC of Germany has completed the signing and transfer of Grassrunners FC of Ikenne, Remo, Ogun State brightest duo, Emmanuel Chukwu and Precious Benjamin.
The youngsters who both turned 18 years this year, has been on the radar of the club before their eventual signing following an impressive performances during their trials last year at the club.
The gifted centre back and forward were on the verge of joining Austrian Bundesliga top side, Sturm Graz before moving to Germany we are told.
Hardworking Grassrunners CEO, Gbenga Victor Agbejoye broke the news to Grassrunners media and Sportsday newspaper while praising the landmark move.
“Two of our players, Emmanuel Chukwu and Precious Benjamin has completed their top move to Hoffenheim FC of Germany.
“This is indeed a wonderful way to begin the New Year and we are really very excited about this at Grassrunners.
“We may be less than a year as a football club in Nigeria, but we are determined to change the dynamics as regards transfers of young talents in the country.
“Nigeria is blessed with abundant young, gifted and talented footballers which deserves only the best teams in Europe and not a situation where they are taken to some obscure leagues.
“This is the only way Nigeria football can continue to develop and improve once we are having these young ones planted in top clubs in Europe”, he emphasized.
Grassrunners is a newly established club in Nigeria which plays in the third tier division known as the Nationwide League (NLO).
They have some of their players in France, Switzerland, Austria amongst others.
SPOCS Founder/CEO Sascha Empacher, Cherno Samba and Helge Payer both Directors with the renowned Sports Management Agency in UK and Austria respectively, played very instrumental roles in the facilitation of the deal.
