Ideye: Nigeria striker sends farewell message to Aris Thessaloniki

Brown Ideye has announced his departure from Greek Super League side Aris Thessaloniki after reaching the end of his contract.

The Super Eagles striker teamed up with the Yellow-Blacks last summer on a one-year deal from Chinese Super League side Tianjin Teda.

The forward scored 10 goals and provided one assist in 31 appearances during his stay with the side to help them to their current third spot on the table.

After failing to reach a new deal with the Kleanthis Vikelidis Stadium outfit, the striker has taken to social media to herald his departure from the side and appreciated the club for giving him an opportunity to be part of their history.  

“Thank you Aris Thessaloniki for giving me the chance to be a part of ARIS family. To all the ARIS fans thanks a lot for making me feel I’m home, God Bless,” Ideye posted on Instagram.

Ideye started his professional career with Bayelsa United and played for Ocean Boys in Nigeria before leaving for Europe.

In 2007, he joined Swiss side Neuchatel Xamax and scored 23 goals in 55 league appearances during his two-year stay with the club before he was snapped up by French outfit Sochaux.

The Nigeria international then teamed up with Dynamo Kyiv, where he bagged 34 goals in 74 league games, helping the club to win the Ukrainian Cup and Super Cup.

Ideye then moved to the Premier League in the summer of 2014, joining West Bromwich Albion on a three-year deal for a club-record fee of £10 million.

 After failing to make much of an impact with the Baggies, where he scored just four goals in 24 league games, he left the side after a season to join Olympiacos.

Ideye moved to China in 2017 after leaving the Greek club, where he enjoyed great success, winning the league title with the side.

The forward, however, endured a torrid time in China after joining Tianjin Teda on a deal worth €3.5 million per year, making only 14 league appearances during his two-year stay and he had to leave on loan to Spanish side Malaga to save his career before permanently signing for Aris.

The striker was part of Stephen Keshi’s Super Eagles team that won the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa.

The energetic striker will hope to secure a new club before the start of the 2020-21 campaign.