Aaron Olanare is Nigerian footballer performing in China. He is still very young - this year he turned 22 years old. Aaron Olanare plays as a centre-forward but can also play as both a right-winger and a left-winger if needed.

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Aaron Olanare was born on July 4, 1994 in Nigeria, where he spent his entire childhood. He advocated for youth team Nigerian club Shooting Stars, and in 2010, at the age of 16, he already received a place at the base of the club. He played 23 matches, scoring 15 goals, after which he moved to the Dolphins, where, however, he could not play. But when he turned eighteen and was able to leave his native country, the striker joined the Norwegian club Valerenga. Aaron Olanare was seen as a promising striker, and the Scandinavians were counting on the fact that he would grow into a strong player.

Moving to Europe and the Norwegian period

Aaron Olanare is a football player who has not proven himself in the best way in the new championship. After stellar performances at home, in two seasons he was able to score only one goal. But in total, he appeared on the field only 17 times. Things got a bit better when he moved to Sarpsborg in 2013. He entered the field 26 times, scoring ten goals - and this result has already impressed the management more. But he also impressed the scouts of the Chinese club Guangzhou Fuli, who paid one and a half million euros for him. So the Nigerian ended up in China.

Game in China and loan to CSKA

As part of Guangzhou, the Nigerian talent spent a season and a half - during this time he managed to play 35 matches in which he scored fifteen goals. But in February 2016, the club decided to loan the player to the Russian CSKA for six months, as he did not show the progress that was expected of him. In a few months in Russia, Olanare entered the field seven times, scoring two goals. This result did not impress the Chinese bosses, and when the Nigerian returned from loan, he was sent to the double, where he now plays.

Performances for the national team

In October 2014, Aaron Olanare made his debut for the Nigerian national team at the age of twenty. Already in the second match for the national team, he went to starting lineup and scored a goal. In total, the young Nigerian has made seven caps to date, scoring two goals. But he last wore an international shirt in June 2015 - and that won't change until Olanare starts getting practice again. In the meantime, he is in the reserve of his club, it is unlikely that he should expect another call from the national team.

Aaron Olanare left CSKA in the winter, but he was not needed yet in the fall.

Not even Chalov and Zhamaletdinov were ousted from the Nigerian, but Pontus Wernbloom. Olanare could return to Scandinavia, but eventually went to Amkar. The viewing lasted from several days until almost the end of February - in a T-shirt without a number, Olanare scored already in test matches, but the clubs could not agree on the terms of the loan for a long time.

Met Olanare the day before his triumphant match: the Nigerian's double was sentenced by Lokomotiv. Aaron's cap, chain around his neck, watch and ring shone in gold, and complemented the image of AirPods, which he practically does not take out of his ears.

It's good that we play against Lokomotiv on natural grass. But psychologically for the team it's not too great. As if we were playing a match at home, but everything seemed to be on the road: flight, hotel, stadium - Olanare did not yet know that Amkar and he personally would cope with this pressure perfectly.

- What is the state of the field in Perm?

I can not call it bad, the lawn is normal. In addition, we conduct training at the Zvezda. Our previous home match with "Arsenal" was transferred to Ufa - and I did not see any difference in the state of the field at all.

Vitaly Mutko believes that in that match the referee nailed Amkar, and Mikhail Vilkov said that he was ashamed of that match.

Two removals is too much. Yes, and the first penalty was not supposed to be: we broke the rules before the penalty area. I don't understand why the judge worked like that. Maybe because we took points from Zenit in the last round? I was very angry after the Arsenal game.

- Didn't it bother you that now Amkar agreed to play on Lokomotiv's field because of the money?

I don't know much about this situation. Knew it would be preferable to play the match in best conditions. Let's say a natural lawn is better than an artificial one.

Have you heard anything about Amkar's financial problems? In winter, the club almost closed, Gadzhi Gadzhiev says that there is no money.

Looks like we're still in the championship, right? So it's not all that bad.

- When did you learn to do somersaults? They said that it was because of them that you were injured in the game with Zenit.

Back in Nigeria, we had so much fun as kids. I taught myself, no one helped me!

I repeat once again: I have never been injured due to somersaults. In that game against Zenit, I got injured before I even scored a goal: Witsel hit me in the legs from behind. I felt pain in my knee and asked the doctors to apply a tape on my knee. After scoring a goal and celebrating it, I did not leave the field. In the next episode, when I fought for the ball with one of the Zenit team, the same knee turned out again - that's when I got injured.

- In addition to somersaults, you have little to remember in Russia. What prevented you from revealing all your qualities in CSKA?

I showed them at the very beginning of my career in CSKA. Until he got hurt. And when I recovered, I didn’t have much playing time to prove myself. Instead, I constantly sat on the bench or even watched the game outside of the application. It was very depressing and angry. In this position, I can hardly get better. I need game time to develop.

In such cases, it all depends on the coach. He decides what he wants from you. It happens that he is not satisfied with your level, the style of your game, he wants more from you. Because of this, I decided to leave CSKA.

- Do you remember this season's game against Young Boys in the Champions League qualifying?

This is the worst moment of my career. Reverse replacement is very bad. This happened to me for the first time. I will never forget this.

- Dzagoev swore at you right on the field. For what?

We collided. It happens in football, it's normal. How will you be satisfied?

- This does not mean the attitude towards you in the team? Did you feel excluded or rejected?

It all depends on the coach. How he sets up the team affects the players. Perhaps that is why Goncharenko and I did not work together.

I would not say that other players in CSKA hated me. Everyone communicated well with me. But some coaches - not so much.

- Did Goncharenko say something to you when you left for Amkar?

Nothing. “CSKA doesn’t need you, you can leave,” I didn’t hear such words either. I myself understood that I needed practice. I got it at Amkar. I can't afford to disappear on the bench anymore.

- Did you like working with Slutsky more?

This is a free person, smart. He constantly joked with me: “You were a cannibal when you lived in Africa! You're just a monster, you play like a beast! What did you eat to become like this? People, perhaps? Even in CSKA, Vasily Berezutsky constantly laughed at me. He constantly called me with one Russian word - I don’t remember which one. And he said: “You are the best!”

- Who is the most cheerful person in Amkar?

Coaches. Sometimes I picked up the wrong boots (there is a special field in Perm) and went to training in them. Then they brought out such healthy snow boots - felt boots, right? “Put on,” they say, “you will be more comfortable in them.”

- Is Evseev as emotional as after the game with Wales? He then yelled at the camera.

I haven't experienced that - at least not yet. Yes, Evseev is strict, but I have not seen him swear at the players or shout. Wernbloom at CSKA did not gesture with me either, but you can see from him that he is a real Scandinavian. I can speak because I myself played in Norway. Such passion and emotions are normal.

- Did you feel the dissatisfaction of the fans?

No. I never worry about this.

- Have you encountered racism in Russia?

Never. Maybe it's because I don't understand the language. Even if someone hoots, maybe he just wants to sound like a dog? I don't really know why, but it's none of my business. In Russia, I never felt disrespect for myself.

All people are the same: breathe, eat, run. It seems to me that if I call someone a racist, I will only draw attention to myself in vain, and there will only be more racism. I just... don't care about these people.

- Have you talked to Musa about his return to CSKA?

Yes. Last time We were talking about this a couple of days ago. He was not trusted at Leicester, preferring English players.

- Do you have the same problem in CSKA?

Too Much at Leicester good players with a name - Vardi, Marez, Okazaki - so that there is enough space for Ahmed as well. And who is at CSKA? Chalov? Zhamaletdinov? Pfft...

There are strong players in other lines of CSKA. For example, Golovin is one of the strongest players in the league.

- Musa is invited to the national team of Nigeria. Will we see you there at the World Cup?

Unfortunately, I did not receive a call for the last friendly matches. And I have to - before the World Cup it is important. I have always been in the national team and had no problems there. Still positive about the national team. I know that coaches watch Amkar matches and follow me. Of course, I really want to come to the World Cup. Moreover, we have a good group: we will definitely compete with Iceland and Croatia.

- Do you dream of playing against Messi?

I don’t think about the players I will face. But I would be happy if Leo said he wants to play with Aaron at Barca, haha!

- Your father was in the military. What rank did he reach?

Before major: on his shoulder straps were silver eagles. In the late 1960s, my father participated in the Civil War in Biafra (a self-proclaimed country in Nigeria). Dad told me that it was very hard: there was not enough food, children were dying ... A terrible time. In the war, my father was shot in the left shoulder, leaving a large wound.

“He wanted you to join the military too, didn’t he?”

Yes, but I wanted to play football. Fortunately, my older brother decided to follow in his footsteps, and I continued to do what I loved. Besides, my mother always supported me in this.

- You have a big family?

Two brothers and three sisters. And my mother, she still works as an economics teacher at school. And my dad died five years ago. Then I played in Norway, in Valerenga, and for the first two weeks I simply could not come to my senses. It's incredibly hard to go through this.

- Is it true that you started rooting for CSKA back in Nigeria?

Because of Chidi Odia. He was born in the same city as me, in Port Harcourt. Chidi was a very popular footballer in Nigeria, especially after winning the UEFA Cup. When I was 17, he came to the Dolphins Academy and presented all the guys with CSKA T-shirts.

What did you spend your first paycheck on?

I brought all the money to my mother. The Dolphins paid me very little, about two hundred bucks a month. Only after moving to Norway, he began to receive nine times more.

- Why do so many African footballers play in Scandinavia?

My agent lives in Scandinavia, he invited me to Valerenga. Naturally, it is much easier to progress there than in the African championship. 70 percent of Africans who play in Norway or Sweden then move to the top leagues. I thought that Scandinavia is a good springboard for me.

- The only disadvantage of Norway is the weather?

In Valerenga, it seemed to me that minus seven was very cold. In Russia, I realized that this is nonsense. AT cup game against Avangard, I simply did not feel my body. Seriously, I just wanted to finish the game and run to the locker room.

So you're not used to the cold?

It's impossible to get used to it! This is the craziest match I've ever been in. It was just… terribly cold. I wanted to die - it was impossible to breathe. Ice closed my eyes and mouth, so that I could not see or say anything. When I tell my Nigerian friends about this, they don't believe me!

- You started scoring in the Norwegian Sarpsborg, but quickly left for China. For money?

Not fixated on them. Even before moving to China, I traveled to Monaco. Only for negotiations, did not train. But I chose Guangzhou because Sven-Göran Eriksson wanted to see me there in person. This coach taught me a lot, with him I became a better player. So it's always better to go to clubs where you are needed, and not where the managers have arranged everything. In China, I probably spent best seasons in your career.

- If it's not about money, comment on this photo.

I was talking to a friend on Skype. There was a wad of money in my pocket - I was going to go to shopping center for clothes. We were just fooling around and at some point I decided to do it. And my friend took a screenshot and immediately posted it on the Internet ... Now this photo will never disappear from there.

- The most expensive thing that you allowed yourself?

With one of his first salaries in Guangzhou, he bought his family big house in Nigeria. I can spend money on a car - I bought a Range Rover for the first time in Norway, and now I drive a Bentley.

Was it hard to get used to China?

I would not say that China is very different from European countries. It probably depends on the city, but I was lucky: Guangzhou is a metropolis for business, where many expats live. I lived comfortably there, although at first it was hard without family and friends.

- When you played in Guangzhou, were you really interested in Porto and Udinese?

Yes, I could go there. I talked about it with an agent. But then he simply rejected these options - I don’t know what the matter is. I also heard that Everton approached me. The closest option besides CSKA was Stuttgart.

- In January you became a father. Son named after LeBron James?

My son is king! That's why I chose that name. The mere thought of a son inspires me.

- Didn't you move your family to Perm? Or is she in Dubai?

Now in Nigeria. Can't say anything about the city - I'm here to play. After training, I go straight home.

- Where would you like to play one day?

At Chelsea. This is a childhood dream.

- Will you return to CSKA or stay at Amkar?

Staying in CSKA, I think, is no longer possible. It doesn't look like the coaches need me. But I don't know yet where I'll be in the summer. In autumn, Tottenham scouts followed me. How serious it is, I can't say.

- Do you want to score against CSKA if you can play?

I don't want to prove anything to anyone. I was at CSKA, gave my 100% and tried to be helpful. But if there is a chance to score, I will not miss it.

CSKA Moscow may soon see Nigerian striker and Guangzhou Fuli striker Aaron Olanare. What kind of dough is this 20-year-old soccer player made of?

The first thing that catches your eye is the primal power of Olanare. You feel, frankly, envy. Look what knives! This is how football should be played.

Therefore, one should not be surprised: in the Chinese championship, where a 20-year-old striker with a height of almost two meters plays for the Guangzhou Fuli club, everything on the way flies off from him, as if from a wall. The Chinese are a small people. And then there's Godzilla.

Now, if Olanare goes to CSKA (and he himself is 50 to 50 on this), we'll see what his strength is really worth. No matter how you scold the Premier League, it is difficult to score in Russia. This was noted in a recent interview with "SE" and Main coach"Mordovia" Yuri Semin, with whom it is difficult to disagree.

But Olanare is noticeable not only by anthropometric data. Is there a lot on the planet? Nature, judging by the video, endowed him with a good starting speed, plasticity and impact. Here is another matter! This player can play anywhere.

However, first you need to make a deal. Guangzhou Fuli does not want to sell its leader for less than 6 million euros. CSKA, traditionally a balanced approach to transfers, considers this amount excessive. In the Chinese Championship, which ended in November, Olanare made 16 appearances and scored 8 goals.

And his career began in the Nigerian club Shutin Stars, one of the oldest in the country. Once upon a time, Patrick Ovie took his first steps there, later coming to court in the Samara "Wings of the Soviets". Then Olanare moved to Norway.

When he signed with Volerenga in 2012, a Nigerian football website said: "Shutin Stars lost a diamond." And Norwegian head coach Martin Andresen, meanwhile, praised the newcomer: "Olanare is a huge talent. He has amazing potential. I noticed him at one of the tournaments in Norway. The guy is a fast learner. Physical and specifications this striker let me guess: he'll be good."

However, due to his young age, Olanare could not gain a foothold in Valerenga and moved to Sarpsborg, a lesser-known Norwegian team, where he regularly scored. From there, the path lay in China.

In October, Aaron earned his first call-up to the Nigeria national team. Now he has three matches for the Super Eagles and two goals. Your partner in national team, CSKA forward Musa, Olanare overtook him in height by 20 cm. And in general, he is completely different, except for plasticity. Maybe he has a more thorough approach to the implementation of moments?

He really wanted to return, and did not hide it. Even the status on Instagram - "Player of the Super Eagles and CSKA" - did not change. Say, a trifle, but such touches sometimes form a whole picture. Olanare less than half a year was enough to feel the special, family atmosphere of the capital team, which everyone in the club is so proud of - from the president to the security guard at the base. And therefore sports director red-blue did not have to persuade Aaron for a long time. It was harder to break Chinese partners”, but CSKA successfully solved this problem, thus fulfilling the main transfer task of winter 2017. The team needed a cool, proven centre-forward, and they got him.

The Nigerian athlete's first entry into CSKA was controversial. On one side of the scale - a couple of goals in the championship, one - in the Cup final and the first gold in my life, on the other - a severe knee injury. Aaron left Moscow with mixed feelings - pride in himself and the team was mixed in fair portions with bitterness over the injury and concern about his career future.

"Guangzhou Fuli" (not to be confused with "Evergrand" - the champion of China for the last six years) Olanare did not really need it in full health - otherwise he simply would not have let the forward go to Russia. In turn, CSKA reasonably decided to play on a pause - to wait for the player to fully recover before taking new steps in this direction.

When Olanare recovered, another important nuance arose: the coach in the capital club changed. Viktor Goncharenko it was unnecessary to describe Aaron's playing and personal characteristics - they were already well known to him from working together in the first half of 2016. It was important for the new commander of the “army men” to personally make sure that the footballer really, and not for show, was striving back to CSKA. Only after a personal conversation between the player and the coach, the club launched the Olanare return mechanism. So, the mood of the striker completely satisfied the coach.

Following the results of the first collection of Russian champions in Campoamor, a few observers could have doubts about the advisability of acquiring another forward. At first glance, there are already enough of them in the CSKA squad - four, count, a couple of candidates for each of the two positions in the new scheme. That's how it is, but none of them can be called an "iron" candidate for a place at the base. Chalov with Zhamaletdinov they just settle down in the first team and overgrow with “meat” for crushing with older men. Vitinho not a "ram" in format: technical, inventive, but not physically strong enough for this role (and not very effective, to be honest). BUT Traore... Let's not talk about sad things.

Only after a personal conversation between the player and the coach, the club launched the Olanare return mechanism

In the first "shift" in Campoamor, young Russian strikers won the competition from a potential teammate from Burkina Faso. Jafar looked so bright in training that the signing of the contract seemed a matter of time. The young man passed the “tests” perfectly, but failed the “exam”. In a sparring with a representative of the second Swiss division, the mysterious stranger made so many losses of the ball that Goncharenko instantly lost his desire to continue the bride, and even more so to enlist Jafar in the team. The very next day, the coach announced that Jafar would not be in CSKA.

Zhamaletdinov and Chalov, on the contrary, took advantage of the opportunity that presented itself. One shared the rank top scorer collection from Ionov(both spent two goals each), the other scored an assist and earned a penalty. As a result, Timur and Fedor went to Moscow to gain strength before the second training camp, and Jafar went home, to prepare for new brides somewhere else.

Ramming Aaron. Why CSKA Olanare

On Wednesday evening, CSKA signed a contract with striker Olanare, and on Thursday they will show him to the public in a test match with Dynamo in Spain.

All this time, the invisible work of the "army" selection continued. Jafar was in any case considered as a candidate for "growth". To fight for the title of CSKA, a seasoned scorer was needed, capable of “dragging” the team here and now, not in a vague perspective, but here and now. Anji's Ivorian sniper was among the candidates for strengthening the roster pain, but rather as a backup option - in case the others fail. Olanare remained a priority for CSKA - the player is younger, physically strong and, accordingly, promising. In addition - not a stranger to the team and fans. In this case, the risk of unsuccessful integration or, worse, rejection by the team of the newcomer was obviously excluded. The sports department of the club also took this circumstance into account.

We must pay tribute to CSKA: the club knows how to take quality performers for sane money, competently seizing the moment for negotiations. To be convinced of this, it is enough to recall the sale-rent Wagner and Doumbia. Both cases deserve their own chapter in a football management textbook. According to Olanara, CSKA also worked correctly: it waited until the player’s market value almost halved (from two to 1.2 million euros), and only after that he “went” to Fuli with his offer. Without knowing it, Chinese football shareholders played into the hands of the Russian champions. The tightening of the limit on foreign players put Guangzhou in a rather awkward position. According to the new regulations, only three foreigners can be on the field at the same time, one of which must represent the Asian region. And at Dragan Stojkovic seven such players, four of them are members of the national teams, and that's not counting Olanare. CSKA deftly turned the problem of "Guangzhou" to their advantage.

Olanare has not played with any of the four CSKA forwards before

On the one hand, Aaron returns to a well-known team, on the other hand, not quite: a new scheme, new attacking partners (Olanare has not played with any of the four forwards before) - all this can make it difficult for the Nigerian to re-adapt to CSKA. However, two full-fledged training camps should be enough for Viktor Goncharenko to “fit” a conditional recruit into his model. This winter, they are all conditional for the “army men”: Vasin with Vitinho are also not strangers to the club.