By Nurudeen Obalola
Former Super Eagles forward Victor Moses has made a surprise return to England to sign for Luton Town.
The Championship club confirmed on Tuesday that the former Crystal Palace, Wigan, Liverpool, West Ham and Chelsea star has joined them as a free agent.
“We are excited to announce the signing of free agent Victor Moses on a permanent contract, subject to international clearance,” Luton Town, who were relegated from the Premier League last season, confirmed on their official website.
“The 33-year-old former Nigeria international has most recently been playing his football in Russia with Spartak Moscow, who he joined in 2021 after a successful loan spell from Chelsea in the 2020/21 campaign.
“Born in Nigeria, Victor came to the UK as a boy and played for England from Under-16 to U-21 while coming through the ranks at Crystal Palace, where he made 69 appearances and scored 11 goals for the then-Championship club.”
Moses moved up to the Premier League with a £2.5m switch to Wigan Athletic in January 2010, scoring 10 gosls in 80 appearances before Chelsea paid £9m to sign him in the summer of 2012.
The ex-Nigeria international was part of the Chelsea squad that won the UEFA Europa League in 2012/2013, but spent much of his nine years as a Chelsea player out on loan, playing for European giants Liverpool and Inter Milan, as well as domestically for West Ham and Stoke and in Turkey with Fenerbahce.
In his time at Stamford Bridge, he made 128 appearances for Chelsea, scoring 18 goals, and won the Premier League and FA Cup in 2017 and 2018, before moving permanently to Spartak for £4.5m in 2021, where he also won the Russian Cup.
“I’m looking forward to it,” Moses said in his first interview with LTFC+ on Tuesday.
“I had a few offers from Europe, but I said to my agent that I set my mind on staying over here, and here we are. I’m very pleased and honoured to be at this club and I just can’t wait to get going.
“I spoke to Rob before I came, I spoke to the directors and they told me the plan and the history of the club, and I just want to be part of the success.
“I want to come here and enjoy my football, work hard for the club and for the team, and get back to where we belong in the Premier League.”
Luton Town manager Rob Edwards said: “Victor is one we’ve been talking to for quite a while. He trained with us last week and played 60 minutes in a behind closed doors game, and we made a decision because we think he’s able to come in and help us.
“He gives us more strength in depth and versatility, because he’s someone who can play both sides or as a number ten.
“He’s played for so many different clubs in different ways and shapes, and under different managers, so he’s tactically aware. We think he’s someone who can provide some really good competition for us.
“I don’t want to put too much pressure on him and expect too much too soon. He’s not going to come in and start the games straight away. He’s got to get used to what we do and how we play, but he’s fit, he’s able to come in and affect it now, and he definitely makes the squad stronger.”
Moses has had a successful career at both club and national team level, having also won the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations title with the Super Eagles, and Edwards is looking to tap from his experience, spanning almost 550 matches.
“He’s someone who we can learn from as well,” the Luton manager added. “He’s won a Premier League title under Antionio Conte playing in a similar sort of role to what we ask some of our lads to do, so we’ll be able to pick his brains.
“He’s had a fantastic career, been there and done it. He’s got an amazing CV. But alongside that he’s a really good lad, a quiet, unassuming, down to earth person.
“What tells you about his humility is that he’s been willing to come in, basically on trial with us, to show how hungry he is to play for Luton Town. We are really excited about working with him.”
