Omeruo: Why I will remain with Leganes to play in Segunda Division

Kenneth Omeruo has explained he remained with Leganes despite their relegation from La Liga because of the opportunity the club afforded him to stabilize his career.

The Nigeria international joined Premier League side Chelsea in 2012 to start his senior career after spending time with the Standard Liege youth set up.

The defender, however, did not play a single game for the Stamford Bridge outfit as he made do with loan spells.

The Nigeria international played for five different clubs during his seven-year stay with the Premier League club.

Omeruo featured for Dutch side ADO Den Haag in his first loan spell away from the Blues in 2012 and then moved to England to team up with Championship club Middlesbrough in 2014.

The centre-back played for Turkish Super Lig side Kasimpasa on two spells and featured for Alanyaspor before leaving Turkey.

Omeruo then teamed up with Leganes on loan in the summer of 2018 before he was handed a permanent deal after impressing during his stay.

The permanent contract stabilized him and helped him to improve on his performances, as he featured prominently for the club in the 2019-20 season and starred for Nigeria in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

His efforts with the club were, however, not enough to save the Cucumber Growers from relegation and despite the club’s setback, the defender chose to continue his stay with the side and has revealed the reason behind his decision.

“It wasn’t an easy decision to stay and play in the second division,” Omeruo told AOI.

“I asked if they were going to cut my salary to 50% and they said yes but I told them we might have a problem but then, again I thought about it and decided to stay.

“I have lived two years in Spain and this was a club that gave me an opportunity because when I was with Chelsea they always loaned me out to several clubs and I did not really have a home that time.

“So for me, it was only fair that I risk one season in the second division to try and come back at the first ask.”

Leganes are currently fourth on the league table after gathering 33 points from 19 games and the Super Eagles star is optimistic Leganes will do all it takes to realise their target of securing promotion to La Liga.

“Definitely, I wish you watch our matches, we have an amazing team; we play good football but we are unlucky most times,” he continued.

“Also, the second division is really tough but we are focused and won’t give room for any slip-ups.”

Omeruo has only made nine league appearances for the Cucumber Growers due to injury and will hope to feature when they take on Fuenlabrada in their next league game on January 2.