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Is Kayode Olanrewaju’s move to Manchester City worth it?

By Solomon Fowowe
22 August 2017   |   10:56 am
Obviously, Olanrewaju is good and his 17 goals in 33 Austrian Bundesliga appearances establishes the fact.

Kayode Olanrewaju PHOTO: TWITTER/GIRONA FC

“All of them [the new signings] are good. They showed it in their previous teams and we hope all of them can make the difference for us,” said Manchester City midfielder Fernandinho speaking to Man City’s website.

All of them, all of the new signings, except Kayode Olanrewaju. Obviously, Olanrewaju is good and his 17 goals in 33 Austrian Bundesliga appearances establishes the fact. But he will not be scoring 92nd-minute belters away at Burnley to be the difference for Manchester City, at least not yet. Chances Fernandinho has heard the name Kayode Olanrewaju are slim, non-existent even. After all, City have not announced through any of their media platforms his existence, talk of a deal.

Thankfully, Larry has an Instagram page, the striker confirmed his four year deal with Manchester City and his loan move to Girona for a year. Austria Wien confirmed the deal days later before Girona’s twitter handle announced the loan move from Manchester City. But for City mum was the word, appearing as though they had sworn to secrecy concerning the deal or they just didn’t think it important to announce that the Austrian League highest goal scorer was becoming a Citizen.

Announcement or not, Kayode is contracted to Manchester City even if there is no trace of him on their website. Truthfully, it is all disconcerting.

There were links to Newcastle but the 24-year-old chose Manchester City. The reason though is difficult to figure out. It certainly isn’t for the project or more playing time, neither has it been his childhood dream to join the Sky Blues.

Kayode doesn’t look like the type of player that Guardiola will fall heads over heels for, it is very likely he will never don the City jersey. Aaron Mooy, 26, was sold to Huddersfield Town for a £8 million pound deal by Manchester City, a huge profit on the amount they signed him for £0. The Australian was first signed by Man City’s sister club, Melbourne City. As part of the City Football Group, the A- League side gave Mooy to the Etihad before Man City sent him out on loan to Huddersfield where he flourished.

Larry’s deal with City bears semblance with Mooys’ in some ways, a proven talent in a lesser league, bought, marketed elsewhere on loan with the view of a sale for profit. Iheanacho’s struggle for game time before his Leicester move and Wilfried Bony’s pariah status should be instructive material enough for Kayode on life at the Etihad in case he is holding out hope somehow that he could cut it there.

The best case for Larry is that he does excellently at Girona, a bigger club than the Catalan side notices him and then he gets a move—for a profit. Worst case, he bounces around on loan at several sides and can’t build up on his career but still makes money from his improved wages. But 24 years is not a great age to be farmed out on loan severally, that much is revealed in the average age of the remaining four players City sent on loan to Spain is 20.
Kayode though could have been a good fit at Newcastle, mobile, gritty, tenacious and a proven goal-getter but there’s the looming issue of work permit. Compatriot Ogenyi Onazi who has spent more years in top European leagues and with more caps and involvement for the Super Eagles was denied a work permit which botched a move to Birmingham City.

The former Maccabi Netanya forward chose Catalunya via Manchester turning down the overtures from Tyneside.
If he is going to be making any difference at all this season, it will be at the newly promoted side Girona. His six minutes cameo on the opening weekend was a tad unfortunate as Atletico Madrid equalized a minute after he came on. Larry’s job is cut out, perform a madness, a good madness: double figures in goals, playing excellently. Blinders against Real Madrid and/or Barcelona would not hurt too.

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