Enyeama Moves Back to France

 

Nigeria goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama has exclusively confirmed to supersport.com that he will return to French club, Lille in July.

The 30-year-old who joined the Ligue 1 club for free in the summer of 2011 from Hapoel Tel Aviv was loaned out to another Israeli club, Maccabi Tel Aviv at the start f the 2012/13 season.

He impressed for The Yellows, leading them to the 2012/13 Ligat ha’Al (Israeli League) title after making 27 league appearances for the club.

Enyeama who was part of the 2013 Afcon-winning Nigerian side has now confirmed that he will be returning to France in July for pre-season training with Lille.

“I have two years left on my contract so it is obligatory that I go back to France. I was only on loan at Maccabi Tel Aviv so logically, I have to return to France,” he said.

The former Enyimba shot-stopper endured a torrid time while in France as he did not play a single league game for Lille in the 2011/12 season with the club’s Manager, Rudi Garcia preferring to play former France international goalkeeper, Mikael Landreau instead.

Enyeama said he never had any problems with Garcia’s decision at the time.

“I don’t think it is proper t start talking about whether Landreau was better than me at the time but the fact remains that two goalkeepers cannot play in goal simultaneously. He (Landreau) was there at the club before I arrived so I respect the fact that the Manager chose him ahead of me,” he explained.

Landreau left Lille in 2012 but Enyeama does not believe the first team shirt at the Metropole club will be a shoo-in in the coming season especially with 32-year-old Steve Elana impressing last term.

“There is a goalkeeper (Elana) there now so it does not mean my return to Lille will see me walk straight into the first team. It doesn’t work like that,” he added.

Enyeama attracted global attention during the 2010 Fifa World Cup in South Africa when he thwarted Argentina’s Lionel Messi with impressive saves in Nigeria’s opening game of the tournament. He has continued to prove his worth and was named best goalkeeper at the 2013 Afcon in South Africa.

So will he be joining a glamour European club in the coming days?

“I am not so sure. I will have to wait till June, July, August. That is when I will know whether any of the big clubs will be coming for my signature.

“England, Spain Italy, Tel Aviv? I don’t know. Only God knows,” he concluded.

Enyeama has made 77 appearances for Nigeria.