The signing of last season’s top scorer in Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL), Sunusi Ibrahim by Montreal Impact of Canada has left the Major League Soccer (MLS) outfit’s sporting director, Olivier Renards delighted and excited, megasportsarena.com eports.
Renards confessed as much while confirming his club’s signing of the former under-23 national team, Olympic Eagles’ star on a three-year contract, with option of extending the deal by an additional year with the side based in Canada but compete in USA’s top-flight league, the MLS.
Interestingly, Sunusi moves to Montreal just a week after Chile 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup revelation, Orji Okwonkwo left the club and returned to his parent team, Bologna of Italy, but they now have the pleasure of announcing the arrival of another Nigerian lad in his place.
Although the deal would only be sealed upon the arrival of Sunusi’s international transfer certificate and him passing a routine medical, Renards is already gloating over the contract signing event with the former Nasarawa United of Lafia whiz-kid, who in 2019 was the NPFL’s leading scorer, after notching 10 goals in 22 games.
He went on to play three qualifying matches for the Africa U23 Cup of Nations, with a goal to his name against Zambia, and the 18-year-old lad will now aim to make the very best of his new contract, which will keep him at Saputo Stadium until 2023 plus the possibility of an extension running into 2024.
Montreal are additional excited to grab Sunusi, considering that he also received a tempting offer to join Super Eagles’ assistant captain, William Troost-Ekong at Watford of England, with a lofty chance of playing in the English Championship.
He indeed looked very likely to join to Watford, having trained with The Hornets last summer, as he looked to follow the footsteps of Odion Jude Ighalo, Isaac Success and Tom Dele-Bashiru at Vicarage Road, but a deal did not materialize due to a change of coaches for the team.
He had been recommended to Watford by England-based Nigerian agent, Ladi Salami, who used to manage Isaac Success and brokered the deal that took Dele-Bashiru to the same club in 2019, but Sunusi has instead become the fourth African player at Montreal, who are currently being coached by Arsenal of England legend, Thierry Henry, who will now handle the lad alongside Kenya’s Victor Wanyama, Uganda’s Mustafa Kizza and Senegal’s Clement Diop.
Renard admitted his side are pleased to sign the youngster, who was officially registered with 36 Lion of Lagos, and the top shot declared: “Sunusi Ibrahim is a fast and powerful striker who can also play on the wings.
“The Club is very happy to have completed the transfer of this young player, who is already part of his country’s U23 squad despite his young age. It’s a great addition to the squad, especially considering several European clubs were very interested in him as well. “
