Espérance Sportive de Tunis have refused to release midfielder Onuche Ogbelu during the winter transfer window despite an approach from Al Ittihad SC.
The Libyan side sought to sign the player immediately and offered financial compensation, but the Tunisian club’s board opted to keep him for the remainder of the season.
Ogbelu will instead join Al Ittihad on 1 July 2026 after agreeing a contract that begins next summer.
The decision came on the day the Libyan winter transfer window closes, ending any possibility of an early move.
Espérance chose continuity in midfield rather than allowing the departure of a player still involved in their campaign.
Although an agreement is already in place between Ogbelu and the Tripoli-based club, the Tunis side declined to alter the timeline of the transfer.
As a result, the player will remain available to his current team until the end of the season before leaving as planned.
The Libyan club had hoped to accelerate the transfer by paying a fee, but the offer was rejected.
The Tunisian champions instead accepted the prospect of losing the midfielder on a free transfer at the end of the campaign.
Ogbelu’s future is therefore settled but delayed.
The midfielder has committed to Al Ittihad, yet his departure will only occur once the contract formally comes into effect in July.
For Espérance, the priority was sporting stability during the second half of the season.
For Al Ittihad, the move becomes a confirmed summer reinforcement rather than an immediate addition.
