'Quite some time' - Iké Ugbo addresses Sheffield Wednesday exit and explains why he has made Cyprus move
Sheffield Wednesday announced the departure of striker Iké Ugbo on Sunday, confirming he had joined Cypriot club Apollon Limassol FC on loan.
Sheffield Wednesday striker Iké Ugbo has claimed he had been searching for a club with a winning mentality “for quite some time” following his move to Apollon Limassol, after opening up about his recent struggles at Hillsborough.
The Owls announced on Sunday morning that the striker had completed a season-long loan move to the Cypriot club, finally providing all parties with clarity ahead of the upcoming campaign.
After a successful loan spell at Hillsborough during the second half of the 2023/24 campaign, scoring seven goals to help the Owls avoid an immediate return to League One, Ugbo returned to the club on a permanent deal in August 2024, signing a four-year contract.
However, the 27-year-old has scored just two goals in 62 appearances since becoming a permanent resident at Hillsborough, with both strikes coming in the Carabao Cup. He made just 21 appearances in the Championship last season, featuring only three times between Christmas and the end of the campaign.
After asking Wednesday to try to facilitate a fresh start for him this summer, he has moved to Cyprus in the hope of getting his career back on track following a difficult period.
“The last two years have been quite difficult for me,” Ugbo told Apollon’s club website. “I felt that I needed a fresh start, a new environment and a competitive team where I could find my best self again.
“From what I learned and saw about Apollon, I felt that this is a club with a winning mentality. This was something I had been looking for for quite some time.
“At the same time, the prospect of claiming titles and competing in Europe again made my decision even easier.”
Clubs expressed a keen interest in taking Ugbo on loan in January, but a move failed to materialise. His suitors included clubs both at home and overseas. The striker has now explained why a move to Cyprus appealed to him.
Ugbo continued: “There was interest from teams in Belgium, Turkey, even from the MLS. However, I had decided that I wanted to return to the European football scene, to a team with high goals.
“Apollon offered me this perspective. It is a club with high ambitions, which wants to be the star and compete in Europe, which was a very important criterion for me.”
Additionally, Ugbo has crossed paths with Apollon boss Hernán Losada before, getting to know him during his time in Belgium earlier in his career. Hopeful that will help him make his mark in Limassol, the former Chelsea man has highlighted the importance of a coach putting trust in him.
“It was very important,” the striker added, addressing the importance of linking up with a familiar face. “The relationship between a player and a coach plays a decisive role.
“When a coach knows your potential and believes in you, you feel more confident. My previous experience made me understand how important the relationship between a coach and a player is.
“Your abilities do not change from one day to the next. What changes are the circumstances and the way a coach uses you. This significantly influenced my decision to come to Apollon.”