Teenage sensation Hafiz Umar Ibrahim will not sign for Norwegian champions Bodo/Glimt after they failed to reach personal agreement, reports Soccernet.ng.
The Ojodu City FC striker came to limelight after he scored 10 goals at the Viareggio Cup tournament in Italy last month.
The 18-year-old went to Bodo on Friday with hopes of signing a contract on Monday. He arrived in the city and was received with aplomb as the media shadowed his every step from the airport due to the publicity that he received after English Premier League side Chelsea showed interest in signing him.
Hafiz trained with the club on Saturday and Sunday as he tried to understand their philosophy and culture. The club was impressed with him and looked forward to getting his signature on Monday.
However, Soccernet.ng can exclusively reveal that Hafiz will not sign the contract as he found it difficult to cope with the weather. He complained about the cold during a call with Soccernet.ng on Saturday.
Hafiz Umar Ibrahim arrived in Bodo today and was surprised at the crowd and cameras that showed up. Bodo/Glimt are desperate to sign him but Chelsea are circling. Raheem Sterling joined a call with the Blues’ Sporting Director today as they tried to woo him.
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It was difficult to convince the Kano-born player to stay because he could not manage the cold. Bodo is in northern Norway and the biting cold was very tough for the boy who grew up in the almost 40-degree Celsius weather of northern Nigeria.
Former Bodo/Glimt player Victor Boniface recently told the Obi-One Podcast about the loneliness and the cold during his stay at club where he won two Norwegian titles.
Perhaps a summer move would have helped to ease Hafiz into the city where he was expected to follow in the footsteps of Boniface, the man who has become a star at Bayer Leverkusen.
Hafiz is hoping to explore his options with Premier League side Chelsea, who have already issued him an invitation, as well as other clubs in Italy that have expressed interest. Hafiz is expected back in Italy in the next few days.
Fans of Bodo/Glimt would be saddened by the news because they had come to develop a liking for him over the last few days.
Do you think Hafiz Umar Ibrahim made the right decision for his career? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section.
