Former Town midfielder Finidi George has decided to hang up his boots. The Nigerian joined the Blues from Real Mallorca in the summer of 2001 for £3.1 million but made little impact in his spell at Portman Road.

Richard Umejei, a friend of the player and a Holland-based agent, said late last week: "Finidi is going to end his career and is happy with his decision.

"He has have received several offers from Spain and the Gulf, but he has decided that now is the time to retire."

George scored twice in his home debut for the Blues against Derby but failed to replicate that performance and rarely played a full 90 minutes, causing fans to question his claim to be in his early 30s, a not uncommon controversy within Nigerian football.

Earlier in his career he had won the European Cup with Ajax and African Nations Cup honours with Nigeria with whom he played at two World Cups.

The man nicknamed 'the Gazelle' and 'Finito' in his home country had his Town contract settled last summer, the Blues agreeing to pay him £1 million over 18 months, around half the value of the remaining two years of his contract.

After six months in the soccer wilderness, he was offered a short-term play-to-be-paid deal back with Mallorca, by then again managed by Luis Aragonés, the man who had been his boss at Real Betis, the club he joined after Ajax, and early on during his first spell with Mallorca.

Aragonés left Mallorca to become the new coach of the Spanish national side after their failure in Euro 2004.

Prior to moving to Europe, George played in Nigeria for Calabar Rovers, Iwuanyanwu Nationale and Port Harcourt Sharks.

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