Olivier Occean will be playing in this upcoming Bundesliga season – but it won’t be for the team that got him there.
The Canadian national team forward (above) announced on his Twitter feed on Tuesday – before formally being introduced to German media – that his move to Eintracht Frankfurt from Greuther Fürth had gone through. Both teams were in the 2.Bundesliga season and each earned promotion to the top flight. Occean’s move had been expected for some time.
Terms of the transfer were not disclosed but reports have it pegged at $1.5 million.
Occean will be joining fellow Canadian Rob Friend as Frankfurt make their return to the Bundesliga – at least for the time being. Friend was only a bit player last season for Eintracht and isn’t expected to remain with the club as they make the jump back up.
Another Canadian national-teamer on the move is midfielder Issey Nakajima-Farran. He may be just 28 years old, but he’s certainly racked up the frequent-flyer miles over the course of his career.
Nakajima-Farran can now add Cyprus to the list of places he’s played as he has landed in the Mediterranean island nation on Tuesday in advance of a medical on Wednesday. Should everything go according to plan, it’s expected that Nakajima-Farran will join with AEK Larnaca, who finished fifth in the Cypriot first division last season.
Nakajima-Farran will make the move after his contract with Australian side Brisbane Roar expired. Before playing in Australia, his career has also taken him to Denmark, Singapore and Japan.
Back in Germany, Adam Straith was quickly snapped up after being released by Energie Cottbus. Straith did enough while on loan for 14 games this past season with FC Saarbrucken in the German 3.Liga to warrant a full-time deal with the club.
While it’s a step down in league for Straith, it will likely mean regular playing time – something he rarely got with Cottbus.
Two other Canadians expected to move in the very near future are Nik Ledgerwood and Tosaint Ricketts.
Ledgerwood confirmed to MLSsoccer.com last month that he likely won’t be heading back to Wehen Wiesbaden in the 3.Liga in Germany next season, hoping to find a club in the 2.Bundesliga. But, he added, he’s keeping an open mind and may play in another country altogether.
Meanwhile, Ricketts looks to escape from Romanian side Politehnica Timisoara. Due to some financial issues with the club, they went from finishing second in the top flight in 2010-11 and earning a Champions League spot to being relegated.
Ricketts also went through stretches without getting paid by the club and told Canadian media in June that he expects his release from his contract and has had offers from elsewhere in Romania as well as Turkish and German clubs.
