Uncertainty Looms Over Lokosa’s Transfer to Ludogorets Amidst Trial Disagreement

The anticipated move of Junior Lokosa, the Kano Pillars striker and leading goal scorer in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), to Bulgarian top-tier club FC Ludogorets appears to have hit a stumbling block as reports suggest a breakdown in negotiations.

Sportal.bg revealed on Saturday that a rift emerged between Ludogorets’ coach, Dimitar Dimitrov, and Lokosa’s agent, Ismail Adedoyin, creating a deadlock that jeopardized the proposed deal. The impasse arose due to the parties’ inability to reach a consensus regarding the player’s assessment and status.

Coach Dimitar purportedly expressed a strong desire to witness the capabilities of the newly invited Super Eagles striker firsthand, either through training sessions or a scrimmage. However, Lokosa’s agent, Ismail Adedoyin, opposed this arrangement, advocating for his client’s direct contract signing without trials.

The crux of the disagreement revolved around Coach Dimitar’s insistence on observing Lokosa’s on-field performance before finalizing any deal. Emphasizing the necessity of trials, the Ludogorets coach highlighted that without firsthand experience of the 18-goal sensation’s skills, a comprehensive assessment was imperative prior to sealing the agreement.

Furthermore, Coach Dimitar underlined the club’s preference for nurturing talent from its academy rather than signing an untested player. This sentiment emphasizes Ludogorets’ commitment to internally developing talent, presenting a challenge for Lokosa’s direct integration into the senior team without a trial showcasing his abilities.

The standoff between Lokosa’s representative and Ludogorets’ coach has cast a cloud of uncertainty over the prospective transfer, leaving the highly anticipated move in limbo, pending resolution of the dispute regarding the striker’s assessment.