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The former Super Eagles striker has revealed why he didn't join Chelsea during his active years.
Former Nigerian striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni has revealed that he was on the verge of signing for Chelsea in 2008, but a serious injury prevented the move from materialising.
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Yakubu, who played for Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, and Everton during his time in the Premier League, said that he was "very, very close" to joining Chelsea before suffering an Achilles injury that kept him out for 11 months.
What Yakubu said
The injury had a profound impact on Yakubu's career, forcing him to undergo a long and difficult rehabilitation process.
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"Everything was spot on and looked like it was going to happen, but I got injured and couldn't play for 11 months," Yakubu said.
"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."
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11:25 - 09.11.2024
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Yakubu made his debut for Nigeria in 2000 and scored 21 goals in 58 appearances for the Super Eagles.
Yakubu recalled the moment he suffered the injury, "I can remember it all so clearly, you know, playing against Tottenham. After around 10 minutes, I went up for a ball with Ledley King and just felt something pop in my calf."
"Rehab was tough; there was so much repetition, and whenever I got to the training ground, my teammates were gone. Sometimes it would just be me at the training ground, and I'd be going crazy."
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Despite eventually returning to action, Yakubu said that the injury had a lasting impact on his mental state.
"When you're coming back from a serious injury like that, it's crazy, because mentally you're just not OK. You're so keen to get back playing again, and training with your teammates. But you're constantly thinking about whether or not you're going to be alright; whether it's going to happen again."
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03:43 - 13.09.2024
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Yakubu's career ultimately took a different path, with spells at Blackburn Rovers, Reading, and Coventry City before his retirement in 2017.
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