Nigerian striker David Okereke will remain in Serie A after joining newly-promoted side US Cremonese on a permanent deal from Belgium’s Club Brugge.
Okereke spent last season in the Italian topflight with Venezia but the club could not retain their Serie A status, getting relegated after finishing bottom of the table.
However, Okereke was among the few players who emerged from the season with some credit after finishing as the club’s top scorer with seven goals, earning him a move to the Lombardy-based club, who earned promotion for the first time since the mid-90s.
“US Cremonese announces that it has acquired the right to David Okereke’s sports performances from Club Brugge,” the Italian club announced on its website after Club Brugge, reported to have pocketed €10m from the deal, had confirmed his departure.
With the Belgian club Club, the 24-year-old won two Jupiler Pro League titles during the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons as well as the 2021 Belgian Super Cup, making 71 appearances scoring 15 goals.
Cremonese finished second in Serie B to earn automatic promotion but will be under new coach Massimiliano Alvini for their return to the topflight after Fabio Pecchia resigned despite getting them promoted.
Okereke is the 12th player signed by the Serie A new boys as they seek to avoid heading straight back into the second-tier.
Cremonese have spent many seasons in the lower divisions of Italian football, their last promotion into Serie A was in 1993, while their last season in the top-flight league was 1995-96.
Contact: theeditor[at]punchng.com
