RheinEnergie Koln have lost the services of German international Ademola Okulaja to FIBA EuroCup rivals BC Khimki.

Okulaja joined Koln from Pamesa Valencia last November to complete his recovery from a long-term knee injury, which ruled him out of the German team that took silver at EuroBasket 2005.

The 31-year-old power forward, who made three appearances for Sasa Obradovic's Bundesliga team, admitted it would be a wrench to leave RheinEnergie.

But he felt the chance to play alongside the likes of South American stars Ruben Wolkowisky (Argentina) and Oscar Torres (Venezuela)  was too good to turn down - especially as he aims to be in top shape in time for the FIBA World Championship, which begins in August.

"It's with deep sadness that I leave this city and this club, and I cannot speak highly enough of the organisation, the team and the fans," Okulaja told RheinEnergie's web site.

"But I have decided to move abroad again and simply could not turn down the offer from Khimki."

Okulaja played in RheinEnergie's last two Round II games in the EuroCup and is eligible to play for Khimki in the latter stages of the competition.

He could face his former employers in the EuroCup final if his new side can come through their quarter-final play-off with Dexia Mons-Hainaut and a semi-final with either Lokomotiv Rostov or DKV Joventut.

RheinEnergie face BC Kyiv for the right to play either Maroussi Honda or Dynamo St Petersburg in the Final Four.