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Pius Ikedia loaned out to FC Groningen for one season

30 July: Pius Ikedia will play for FC Groningen this season. The 22 year-old Nigerian winger has dropped out of Ronald Koeman's squad and was told that he can go. He will first join the northern club on a one year loan.

Pius Ikedia was already a Nigerian international when he joined Ajax in 1999, coming from ASEC Mimosas, Nigeria. But after his Ajax-1 debut on 28 November 1999 (AZ vs Ajax, 1-2) he never secured a spot in the starting line-up, due to stiff competition (Andy van der Meyde).

Pius Ikedia performed well as a substitute during Ajax's 3-1 defeat of RKC Waalwijk in February. [source: Gerard van Hees /Ajax.nl]

In total he played 25 league games for Ajax in three seasons, in which he scored two goals. He also played two Amstel Cup games and five European matches for the Amsterdammers, besided 23 friendly games, in which he scored seven times.

Pius Ikedia wore the strip of Nigeria's national team twelve times. He played against Sweden, England and Argentina during the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea, but finished bottom in the group stagewith his country.

Dropping out of the Ajax-1 selection was a disappointment for Ikedia. On AT5 Television, he said that Ajax had "not been fair" to him. For now, FC Groningen is his new club. He might already make his debut at Oosterpark Stadium tonight, as the white and greens from Groningen take on Spanish champions Valencia in a pre-season friendly. (MP)

(Source: Ajax.nl)