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Arteta and the former Super Eagles player played together during the 2001/2002 season at Paris Saint-Germain.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has lauded former Super Eagles midfielder Austin Jay-Jay Okocha as an "unbelievable" talent and one of the best players he has ever shared the pitch with.
Arteta and Okocha briefly played together during the 2001/2002 season at Paris Saint-Germain.
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Arteta, then a young player on loan from Barcelona, and Okocha, in his final season with the club before moving to Bolton Wanderers in the Premier League, formed a brief but memorable midfield partnership.
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Arteta subsequently joined Glasgow Rangers on a permanent deal.
Despite their short time together, Okocha's influence on the young Arteta was valued to his career.
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Former Super Eagles captain Austin Okocha has flatly denied rumours that he asked for the dissolution of the Nigeria Football Federation's (NFF) board.
The experience allowed Arteta to witness Okocha's skills firsthand.
"Unbelievable, one of the best players I ever played with; he was a joy to watch. Incredible natural talent. He was a magician," Arteta said in a Sky Sports documentary, “Transfer 360: How Bolton secured the signing of Jay-Jay Okocha from PSG.
"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.”
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The Spanish side welcomed back their Nigerian superstar for the first time since October 20, 2024.
Okocha's impact on Arteta is clear, despite their single season together. Arteta has also spoken positively about other former teammates like Nicolas Anelka, Mauricio Pochettino, and Ronaldinho, all of whom he played with at PSG.
Arteta later enjoyed successful Premier League careers with Everton and Arsenal before becoming Pep Guardiola's assistant manager at Manchester City and eventually taking the managerial helm at Arsenal.
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