Igoh Ogbu has reiterated his commitment to Slavia Prague, insisting he has no plans to leave the Czech champions despite attracting interest from clubs across Europe.
The Super Eagles defender joined Slavia Prague from Lillestrøm in January 2023, and signed a contract extension in 2025 that will keep him at the club until December 2027.
The new deal came amid reported interest from French sides Lyon and Olympique Marseille following another impressive campaign, but Ogbu says extending his stay reflected his desire to continue building his legacy with the club.
“I signed a contract extension with the club, and I intend to honour it because Slavia Prague are a big club in their own right and are always ambitious. When I signed the extension despite the interest from other clubs, it showed my intention to stay. For the coming season, the plan is the same as always – to give my best,” Ogbu told Footy-Africa in an exclusive interview.
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The defender’s preparations for the new season, however, suffered a setback after he sustained an injury while on international duty with Nigeria during the June international window. The injury, which required surgery, ruled him out of the Super Eagles’ international friendly against Portugal, and he is currently undergoing rehabilitation.
“It is unfortunate that I got injured, but injuries are part and parcel of football. You always hope they do not happen, but when they do, the only thing you can do is work hard to get back on the pitch. That is exactly what I am focused on at the moment. I am thinking about the new season, getting fit, and helping my team achieve its goals,” he said.
Before his injury, Ogbu played a key role as Slavia Prague enjoyed another memorable domestic campaign, winning the Czech league title for the 23rd time in the club’s history during the 2025/26 season. It also marked their second consecutive league triumph, securing them direct qualification to the league phase of the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League.
With another campaign in Europe’s elite club competition on the horizon, Ogbu has set his sights on helping Slavia compete strongly while defending their domestic crown.
“I want to play in the Champions League again. It is a beautiful competition, and I also want to win the Czech league title again with this great team. Right now, I am not thinking about any transfer. My only focus is getting back on the pitch and showing how good a player I am,” he added.
Although Nigeria failed to qualify for the ongoing FIFA World Cup being staged across the United States, Mexico and Canada, Ogbu revealed he has been closely following the tournament and is backing the remaining African nations still in contention.
“It is unfortunate that we did not qualify because every player dreams of playing at the World Cup, but I am supporting the African teams. Cape Verde have done well, and so have Ghana and Morocco, who have qualified for the next round. I wish them all the best, and I will be cheering them on,” he said.
