Deportivo La Coruna of Spain have offered fast-rising goalkeeper, Francis Odinaka Uzoho a new, improved contract, in a bid to convince him to stay with them.
Uzoho, who spent last season with Deportivo’s youth team in the third division, declined a contract extension before the World Cup, insisting that he wants to be clear about his first team status.
Following his starring role with Nigeria, as first choice in three straight matches at the World Cup, Uzoho’s valued has soared astronomically, such that he is eager to shed his third team status at Depotivo, yet the club do not want him to leave.
While not assuring Uzoho of a place in their first team, Deportivo’s president, Constantino Fernandez has confirmed a new deal coming for the Super Eagles goalkeeper and says the relegated club want to keep grooming him.
This is in stark contrast with initial doubts over Uzoho’s future with the club earlier this summer, when Deportivo signed two new goalkeepers, Adrian Ortola and Dani Gimenez.
Along the line, Deportivo’s sporting director, Carmelo Del Pozo’s caustic comments about Uzoho earlier this week also appeared to complicate the situation.
However, the club president has come out quickly to dispel those comments by insisting that Uzoho is very key to present and future plans at Deportivo.
Fernandez further disclosed that the club has offered the goalkeeper an improvement of his contract, but admitted he cannot rule out a transfer, if Uzoho feels he can play regular football elsewhere.
The Deportivo supremo affirmed: “Today he is one of the three goalkeepers of the first team in the head of the coach and we will see what happens.
“Some team has contacted me informally to have Francis on the bench, but Francis has to play, he cannot be the third goalkeeper or the substitute, no matter how much, he should be in the first team.”
