- Nigeria icon Yakubu Aiyegbeni is one of the Premier League’s highest-scoring African players, netting 95 goals
- Yakubu recalled thinking he would be out for just a few months, only to be ruled out for nearly a year
- The ex-Super Eagles striker officially retired in 2017 after an injury-plagued spell with Coventry City
Yakubu Aiyegbeni, a former Nigerian international and one of the Premier League’s most prolific African strikers, has revealed how a devastating injury in 2008 robbed him of a dream move to Chelsea.
The former Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, and Everton forward, who scored 95 goals in 252 Premier League appearances, was on the brink of sealing a transfer to Stamford Bridge before fate cruelly intervened.
Yakubu quickly made a name for himself at Portsmouth, after he arrived in England in 2003, netting seven goals in 14 league appearances while on loan before earning a permanent move. His performances caught the eye of Middlesbrough, where he spent two years, and later Everton, where he continued to prove his goal-scoring prowess.
By 2008, Yakubu was in fine form at Goodison Park and attracting attention from Chelsea, who were looking to bolster their attacking options.
However, just when everything seemed set for a blockbuster move to Stamford Bridge, injury struck,
"I was very, very close to signing for Chelsea in 2008, and then I got injured, everything was spot on and looked like it was going to happen, but I got injured and couldn't play for 11 months. That’s my 'wow' moment, which I look back on, really. I felt like I was on fire at the time, and the move to Chelsea was pretty much there for me," Yakubu revealed while speaking at the launch of Ladbrokes' 'Gaffer of all Accas'.
The injury occurred during a match against Tottenham Hotspur, where Yakubu recalled jumping for a ball with Ledley King before feeling something pop in his calf.
Initially, he thought it was a minor issue, expecting to be sidelined for a few months. However, the club’s physio delivered the devastating news that he would be out for nearly a year.
That setback proved to be a turning point in his career. After spending four seasons at Everton, Yakubu moved to Blackburn Rovers in 2011 before embarking on spells in China, Qatar, and later Reading in 2015.
He briefly returned to England with Coventry City in 2017 but played just three games before a hamstring injury forced him to retire from football.
Looking back, Yakubu’s career was one filled with goals and memorable moments, but one can only wonder how different his legacy might have been had he donned the blue shirt of Chelsea.
"Nigeria must play as a team, not individuals" – Oparaku urges Super Eagles
Previously, TheRadar reported that former Super Eagles defender Mobi Oparaku has urged head coach Eric Chelle to prioritise team cohesion over individual brilliance.
Oparaku, a member of Nigeria’s historic Olympic gold medal-winning squad in 1996, believes that Nigeria’s struggles in the qualifiers stem from a lack of unity on the pitch.
