Brown Ideye has praised his ‘mentor’ Kanu for helping him through a difficult start to his West Bromwich Albion career, and now wants to replicate his fellow Nigerian’s Wembley record.
Ideye produced his best display since moving to The Hawthorns last summer by grabbing a brace and setting up Saido Berahino in the 4-0 demolition of West Ham as West Brom qualifies for the FA Cup quarter-finals.
The club-record £10million signing said: “In Nigeria, Kanu is one of the big players who everybody looks up to, so I am happy that we talk. He calls me sometimes and I get advice from him because he played here, too. He tells me to keep working hard and things will turn out to be good for me. That’s what happened on Saturday.”
Ideye was close to leaving the club last month. A £3.8m transfer to Qatari side Al-Gharafa had been agreed following an underwhelming six months in which he scored two West Brom goals.
But Ideye has now hit four in three games and is finally showing why West Brom paid Dynamo Kiev such a substantial sum. Now he is eyeing a trip to Wembley, where Kanu scored the winner for Portsmouth against Cardiff in the 2008 FA Cup final.
“I can’t remember his goal but he told me about it,” said Ideye. “I have never been to Wembley so it would be a dream come true to play there. We have to win one more game. I would look forward to playing there.
“There is Wembley and the Maracana in Brazil. Everyone wants to play in the best stadiums.”
