Former Nigeria international Yakubu Aiyegbeni has spoken candidly about the major career opportunity he missed when a proposed switch to Chelsea collapsed in 2008 due to injury.
Yakubu, widely regarded as one of the most prolific forwards in Nigerian football history, built his reputation during a long spell in England after earlier years in Israel. He remains the highest-scoring Nigerian in Premier League history, registering 95 goals and 24 assists across spells with Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, Everton and Blackburn Rovers.
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However, the former Super Eagles striker believes his achievements might have been even greater had he completed a move to Stamford Bridge midway through the 2008–09 campaign.
Speaking on the Home Turf Podcast, Yakubu explained that talks between Chelsea and Everton were progressing when he suffered a serious Achilles injury.
“I was unlucky not to play for Chelsea. I had the chance to sign, and then I got injured,” he said. “I ruptured my Achilles and was out for 11 months. They were negotiating a fee of around £15m for me that very day. When the injury happened, everything disappeared.
“I was crying in the dressing room because I knew it was my chance to join one of the biggest clubs.”
Despite that setback, Yakubu later rebuilt his career, scoring freely in a loan spell at Leicester City before returning to the Premier League with Blackburn Rovers.
During his prime, his mix of strength and technical ability made him one of the league’s most feared finishers—impressively, all his Premier League goals were scored for mid-table sides. Yakubu believes that had the Chelsea transfer materialised, he might have gone on to accomplish even more at the highest level.
