Yakubu Aiyegbeni has spoken candidly about a career moment he still finds difficult to revisit — the day a move to Chelsea slipped through his fingers.
The former Super Eagles striker, celebrated as one of the most lethal finishers of his generation, said he was on the verge of joining the London club in 2008 before a devastating injury ended the possibility.
A transfer that never happened
Yakubu’s reputation in England is well established. His 95 Premier League goals remain the highest tally by any Nigerian, earned across spells with Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, Everton and later Blackburn Rovers.
However, he revealed on the Home Turf Podcast that his journey could have taken a very different path. Everton and Chelsea were already in talks over a transfer as the winter window approached. According to him, the deal was close enough that both clubs were discussing a £15 million fee.
But on the same day negotiations were advancing, Yakubu suffered a serious setback — a ruptured Achilles. He had started the campaign strongly with four goals and an assist, yet the injury ruled him out for nearly a year and immediately ended Chelsea’s interest.
The moment, he said, was emotionally overwhelming. He recalled sitting in the dressing room in tears, aware that his chance to join one of England’s biggest clubs had disappeared instantly.
Moving forward after the blow
Despite the crushing disappointment, Yakubu eventually worked his way back to fitness. After a brief spell with Leicester, he returned to the Premier League and rediscovered his scoring touch at Blackburn, reinforcing his status as one of Africa’s most reliable goal scorers in English football.
Looking back, he says the missed opportunity never defined him. He maintains that he achieved everything he set out to do, having risen from the Israeli league to become a feared Premier League striker known for his power and killer instinct.
Still, the idea of what might have been lingers for many fans — a prolific Yakubu leading the line for Chelsea at his peak. Even so, his career stands as a story of resilience, proving that one cruel moment could not stop him from writing his name into Nigerian football history.
