FORMER Oxford City winger Ikechi Anya is hoping to make a name for himself in Spanish football after making a dream move to Sevilla.

Anya, 21, a pacy forward, who used to live in Kidlington, has signed a two-year contract with Sevilla Atletico – the Spanish giant’s reserve side who play in the second tier of league football – after impressing for the Glenn Hoddle Academy Club in Spain.

Anya, who was born in Scotland, joined City in August 2007 and played 17 times, scoring four goals, after being released by Wycombe Wanderers.

He later joined Halesowen before linking up with the Glenn Hoddle Academy Club last summer, where former Oxford boss Graham Rix is one of the coaches – having impressed at trials at Chelsea’s training ground in Cobham.

Anya, who was a youth player with Oxford United, had a spell at Northampton Town towards the end of last season, scoring the winner against Leyton Orient, though it could not save them from relegation to League Two.

He said: “I am really pleased to be going to such a great club as Sevilla, with such a strong history and pedigree in the top flight of Spanish football.

“My goal was always to get back into the game, and I could not wish for a better opportunity.

“The work with Glenn Hoddle and the coaching team in Spain has really made a huge difference to me.

“I am now more confident in my ability and have a greater understanding of the game plus technically and physically I am so much stronger.

“It just shows what can happen to players who are released, if they are given the time and opportunity to develop and I am sure a lot of my teammates can follow in my footsteps given the chance.”

His father, Chinasa Anya, an academic doctor who originally comes from Nigeria, and moved down from Glasgow to Kidlington in 1995, said he was confident his son would become a professional player.

“He played for Wycombe and then got injured before he started playing football locally and then Glenn Hoddle took him to the Academy,” he said.

Anya’s former boss at Oxford City, Justin Merritt said: “I’m really pleased for him. I’ ve always had a good relationship with him – he used to work for my company.

“He’s got a lot of ability and it just shows that if you work hard in the game you can get opportunities.”

Glenn Hoddle added: “When we first had Ikechi, he was a pacy winger, with good control and excellent crossing ability.

“I saw something else in him though and we switched him from the wing to centre forward, where he excelled.

“This just shows that a player from amateur football, given the right development, can return to the top flight.”