Odemwingie joins English Championship side, Rotherham

Super Eagles’ former striker, Osaze Odemwingie, has joined English second tier team, Rotherham, until January. But the deal is subject to the English FA and EFL ratification.

The 35-year-old was a free agent after being released by Stoke in the summer and becomes new manager, Kenny Jackett’s first signing, just days after taking charge.

Odemwingie was on trial at Hull in the summer and played in a number of pre-season friendlies, but failed to reach an agreement with the English Premiership newcomers.

He was reportedly close to joining English League One side, Bolton Wanderers, but he made a U-turn and instead put pen to paper on a short term deal with Rotherham.

He was released after two seasons at the Britannia following a 2014 move from Cardiff City, for whom he signed for £2.25m a year earlier. Odemwingie scored just five Premier League goals in 27 appearances for Stoke.

The forward famously messed up a Deadline Day move to Queens Park Rangers in the summer of 2013, desperate to get out of a troubled spell at West Brom – his first club in England.
Odemwingie had arrived at the Baggies in to much hype after joining from Lokomotiv Moscow.

He scored 30 Premier League goals for the West Midlands club.

Odemwngie had an illustrious career with the Super Eagles for which he made his debut in 2002.

He was in Adegboye Onigbinde’s squad to the 2002 Japan/Korea World Cup as an alternate player, but he cemented his place in the team thereafter, going on to play in two other World Cups, including South Africa 2010 and the Brazil 2014 editions.

A former child prodigy at Bendel Insurance of Benin, Odemwingie also played in Belgium and France.