Kanu completes transfer to Arsenal
Posted: Friday January 15, 1999 10:12 AM
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Kanu has missed most of the last two years with heart and knee problems Gary M. Prior/Allsport |
LONDON (AP) -- Nigerian soccer star Nwankwo Kanu moved from Inter
Milan to Premier League champion Arsenal on Friday after convincing
Gunners manager Arsene Wenger of his fitness.
The 22-year-old striker, whose career has been held up by heart
surgery and persistent knee problems, went through detailed medical
and fitness tests on Thursday before signing a contract on Friday
morning.
Arsenal is reported to have paid Inter 4.5 million pounds ($7.5 million) for the Nigerian who is believed to have signed a
6-year contract.
Kanu, whose goals and standout play earned Nigeria an historic
Olympic soccer title in 1996, has barely played since his transfer
from Ajax Amsterdam to Inter that same summer.
The Italian club's doctors discovered a heart valve problem and
Kanu was out of action for more than a year. When he returned, he
was further sidelined by knee problems and also failed to get a
place on the Inter starting lineup because the team had so many
other stars.
Wenger sees the Nigerian star as the ideal partner for his two
Dutch forwards, Dennis Bergkamp and Marc Overmars. Kanu and
Overmars were on the same Ajax lineup that won the European
Champions Cup in 1995.
"He is a very welcome addition to our squad," Wenger said.
"He will be a great asset to us as he has already proved his
talent at club and international level."
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