- Mikel Arteta called Jay-Jay Okocha one of the best players he'd ever played with, hailing his incredible natural ability and charisma
- Arteta and Okocha formed a short but memorable midfield partnership during the 2001/2002 season at Paris Saint-Germain
- Despite only spending a season together, Okocha had a lasting impact on Arteta’s career, teaching him valuable lessons in skill and personality
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has paid tribute to former Super Eagles midfielder Austin Jay-Jay Okocha, describing him as an “unbelievable” talent and one of the best players he has ever shared a pitch with.
Arteta and Okocha’s paths crossed briefly during the 2001/2002 season at Paris Saint-Germain, with the young Spaniard on loan from Barcelona and Okocha in his final season at the French club before moving to Bolton Wanderers in the Premier League.
Despite only playing together for a short time, the duo formed a memorable midfield partnership, with Arteta going on to join Glasgow Rangers permanently after his loan spell at PSG.
In a Sky Sports documentary, Transfer 360: How Bolton secured the signing of Jay-Jay Okocha from PSG, Arteta fondly recalled his time alongside the Nigerian legend.
“Unbelievable, one of the best players I ever played with; he was a joy to watch. Incredible natural talent. He was a magician.
“He could do anything that he wanted with the ball. He could play any pass. He is very charismatic and has a very good personality. I learned a lot from him,” Arteta added.
Though their time together was brief, Okocha’s influence on Arteta has remained significant. Arteta, who went on to enjoy successful Premier League careers with both Everton and Arsenal, credits the experience as one that shaped his playing style.
Okocha’s skill and flair have long been lauded, with Arteta not the only former teammate to recognise the Nigerian's impact. Arteta has also spoken positively about other PSG colleagues, including Nicolas Anelka, Mauricio Pochettino, and Ronaldinho.
Taye Taiwo, Taribo West and other Super Eagles stars to have played for AC Milan
Previously, TheRadar compiled interesting facts about past and present Super Eagles players of AC Milan in detail.
From Taribo West's unique hairstyle and robust defending to Taye Taiwo's blistering left-foot strikes, all the way to Samuel Chukwueze's electric wing play, there’s so much history between Nigeria and AC Milan.
