Ogenyi Onazi TrabzonsporDepophotos

Ogenyi Onazi: Lithuanian champions Zalgiris sign Super Eagles midfielder

Lithuanian A Lyga champions Zalgiris have completed the signing of former Lazio and Trabzonspor midfielder Ogenyi Onazi on a free transfer.

Onazi has been a free agent since January 5 when he left Danish Super Liga club SonderjyskE by mutual agreement after he was restricted to just two league matches in six months.

Prior to the completion of the deal, the Nigeria star has been working his socks off with a personal training programme which he often shared on social media.

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His arrival in Lithuania is expected to boost Zalgiris, who won their eighth top-flight title last November.

Onazi could make his debut in Lithuania when the Green-Whites battle cup winners Panevezys for the Super Cup on February 27.

Back in 2018, the Super Eagles midfielder's career took a blow when he ruptured his Achilles tendon while in action for Trabzonspor in the Turkish Super Lig.

The injury ruled him out of action for more than a year and his contract was terminated by the Black Sea Storm. The setback also made him miss the 2019 Afcon in Egypt where Nigeria finished third.

The 28-year-old immediately teamed up with Denizlispor on a short-term contract until the end of the 2019-20 season before he moved to Denmark.

Before he moved to Trabzonspor in 2016, Onazi spent four years at Lazio where he won the Coppa Italia in the 2012-13 campaign.

At international level, the Jos-born midfielder played for the Nigeria U17 and U20 teams before he made his Super Eagles debut in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixture against Liberia in 2012.

He was a member of Stephen Keshi's team that won the 2013 Afcon in South Africa and he was also taken to two Fifa World Cup tournaments - in Brazil 2014 and Russia 2018.

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