Nigeria forward Sone Aluko has completed a loan switch to Chinese Super League outfit Beijing Renhe from Reading, Completesports.com reports.
Aluko’s loan deal will see him represent Renhe until New Year’s Day in 2020.
The former Glasgow Rangers star struggled to make an impact at Reading in the English Championship this season scoring only once in 19 appearances.
The 30-year-old joined Reading from Fulham in August 2017 and scored four goals in 60 appearances.
The former Hull City forward becomes the second player to leave Jose Manuel Gomes’ team this month after goalkeeper Vito Mannone moved to Major League Soccer outfit Minnesota United.
The transfer window in China remains open until the end of the month and Sone – the younger brother to England Women striker Eniola Aluko, who is also playing her football overseas this season with Juventus in Serie A – will now begin a loan spell in the Chinese capital.
Beijing Renhe, managed by Aleksandar Stanojević and based in Fengtai – a suburb south-west of the city – finished in eighth place in the top tier in China last year.
They begin a brand new league campaign at the start of March when they take on Shandong Luneng on Friday 1st March.
Aluko is in contention to make his debut for Beijing Renhe when the 2019 Chinese Super League begins with a visit to Shandong Luneng on Friday.
By Adeboye Amosu
9 Comments
At 30 years of age, is it early to start referring to Sone Aluko – who ended his 12 years relationship with English football to join Ighalo and Co in China – as an ex-Super Eagles International?
There appears to have been far better chances of chickens growing teeth than for Aluke to add to his 7 caps (and 2 goals) for Nigeria as the German Tactician in charge of our Super Eagles has scarcely looked towards his direction since taking over the team like 3 years ago.
The highlights of Aluko’s Super Eagles career to date were those 2 well taken goals against South Africa on the 19th of November 2014 in Uyo which were too little too late in Nigeria’s efforts to qualify for the subsequent African Cup nations.
Ahmed Musa missed some sitters early in that same match but the Saudi-based superstar continues to be an integral part of the national team.
Will Aluko get a chance to feature for the Super Eagles in future?
You have to say his chances are slim considering the brilliant talents (Iheanacho, Awoniyi, Isaac Success, Sadiq Umar Osimhen) coming through.
At 30 years of age , his better years could now surely be behind him.
Still, my gratitude goes out to Aluko for your contributions to Nigerian football and that excellent goal he scored against Celtic in the 2012 Old Firm Derby ( which his run, nutmeg, cut and sublime finish is still celebrated by Rangers fans till this day).
Good luck in China Sone.
Sone’s goal against Celtic
https://youtu.be/e5dyMnZFdKY
@Deo, bro so u think iheanacho is better than ALUKO?
Do you think Aluko is better than Iheanacho?? Bro so you think Aluko should be called up for AFCON?? LMAO!! Aluko is at the twilight of his career and I don’t think he ever played for a top club. Even if Iheanacho doesn’t reach his potential at least he had played for a top club in his short career to date. Whenever you rate any top 10 African players who’d played for ManCity Kelechi’s name will be mentioned. That alone made him better.
Uncle SunnyB, I throwaway salute sir.
Actually, I am not comparing any 2 players: Iheanacho is Iheanacho and Aluko is Aluko each with their own peculiar path; each with Super Eagles memory moments unique to them.
On the issue of Iheanacho, yes, his development has not been as rapid, instantaneous and impactful as we would have liked. Often, his growth has often been slow, labourious with minimally intermittent impact.
But what is key is that he is growing albeit at a slow arithmetic pace compared to the lighten quick geometric pace that we all craved for.
For me, we have invested too much in this player to just drop him lack a sack of garri simply because he is going through touch times.
2Pac once said that: “that which does not kill you can only make you stronger”.
Let’s hope this tough times only serve to make Iheanacho a tough player in seasons to come.
**I was referring to Iheanacho’s development after leaving Manchester City**
@Deo, bro I know u not comparing them, just trying to bait Ayphilly,guess what he proved me right lol.Both are left footed players but Aluko is more skillful than the media creation. By the way Uche Kalu never played for any top clubs, but we can all agreed the dude is a complete baller. We should stop overhyping iheanacho the guy is an average player.
Nobody is overhyping Iheanacho. We are only talking about facts and achievements. In his little career to date he has achieved more than Aluko and Uche Kalu combined. At present you can’t even provide better options than him but you can only compare him with Aluko and Kalu because you think they should be called up since they’re still playing in obscurity LMAO!! Any I always enjoy your comic relief about Iheanacho lol.
Lol, if you can tell me the guy positions I will give you two or three better players in those positions.
Aluko is a very good player but his talent never took him that far unfortunately.
Though has done well for club and country.However,his long romance in the championship slowed his progress with the super eagles especially at Oliseh’s reign where players playing at lower divisions never considered for invitations.
Apparently,i met Hope Akpan December last year and asked him why he is never seen in the national team anymore he said it was Oliseh who stopped them because they play in a lower league.
Hopefully now he plays in the Chinese league he may have another chance to play international if he plays at very high level.
Comparing him with Iheanacho is absurd because both though are naturally left footed play in different positions.
I think Aluko is a great talent but was unfortunate getting the right club though he had a stint in the premiership with hull and he didn’t fair badly.Iheanacho is a great talent too who got to a big stage in his career and started diminishing unfortunately,he is still young though and with the right attitude may get it right.