AMSTERDAM — Fresh off a highly successful season in Denmark's second flight, Viborg defender Babajide Ogunbiyi is currently angling for a big jump to Germany, MLSsoccer.com has learned.
After helping the goal-shy Greens avoid relegation, the 24-year-old New York native was voted as the club's Player of the Season and named to the league's Team of the Season. While Ogunbiyi has also garnered transfer interest from the SAS Liga, England and Sweden heading into the final year of his Viborg deal, his agent noted that several factors are pointing his client toward the German second division.
"At the moment, it's really only Germany," his rep, Sascha Günter, told MLSsoccer.com. "His team has placed a price tag on him that in Scandinavia, within these economic conditions, is too high. In England, he's had trouble with getting a work permit."
The former Leeds United trialist has more than one 2.Bundesliga outfit willing to pay the shipping cost, but it seems Viborg are intent on curing their own financial woes by cashing in on Ogunbiyi this summer.
"We need to get compromises and solutions from the club, ones where everybody is happy," said Günter. "[The 2.Bundesliga] is still a lower league, but it's quite a good level. We think this is the right step for him. I think we have the best second league in the world in Germany."
Since arriving in Janaury of 2010, the former New York Red Bulls SuperDraft pick has worked 42 league contests for Viborg. This past season, Ogunbiyi netted five goals in 28 starts.
