Obafemi Martins

Out of favour Super Eagles striker, Obafemi Martins has dumped his Russian Rubin Kazan club to join Spanish side, Levante.

After he agreed to terminate the Rubin Kazan deal, Martins is expected to earn an annual wage of around €600,000 per season.

The former Inter Milan man was on an annual wage of €2.2 million at Rubin Kazan after joining the Russian club for €9 million from German Bundesliga side, Wolfsburg.

According to reports in Spain Thursday, Martins agreed to a two-year deal with Levante on Tuesday and is expected to be unveiled as a squad member Friday.

Meanwhile, another Super Eagles stalwart, Taye Taiwo who is on loan with Dynamo Kiev has admitted to adjusting well to Ukrainian football and to his new team mates.

Taiwo agreed a loan deal from AC Milan at the beginning of the Serie A season, he has now spent a month adjusting to the vagaries of Ukrainian football which he said he has adjusted well to.

The former Olympic Marseille defender said that Dynamo has many great players and that has helped him settle in quickly into the group.

“All right, we have a great team. Dynamo contains very skilled players from all over the world,” said Taiwo to the club’s official website.

“The atmosphere in the team is great; we hit it off, because we spend a lot of time together at the base.

“On the field, we are also beginning to understand each other better and better.

“We train together, spend time together, joking, laughing. I had a great talk with Ukrainian children,” Taiwo added.

The defender also revealed the pressure the players are under to win every league game.

“The games are very difficult, because in every game we are expected to just win.

“And all the teams, going to the matches against Dynamo are always very motivated to beat us.”

He also revealed the reasons why he seldom joins the attack though he has a reputation as a goal-scoring defender. Taiwo has played five league matches and he is yet to open his goal account. 

“It depends on the setting, which is given by the coach. I would be comfortable to play as he instructs because he (Yuri semin) is very qualified, and able to create a team of the highest level which is why I highly respect him,” Taiwo concluded.