Former Super Eagles’ striker, Yakubu Aiyegbeni, has revealed that an anterior cruciate ligament injury in 2008 cost him a dream move to Chelsea at the peak of his career.
The former Everton and Portsmouth forward, who remains one of Africa’s top Premier League goal scorers, was on the verge of joining the London club before an Achilles injury sidelined him for almost a year.
Speaking at the launch of Ladbrokes’ Gaffer of all Accas, Yakubu recounted how he suffered the injury in a match against Tottenham Hotspur.
“Everything was spot on and looked like it was going to happen, but I got injured and couldn’t play for 11 months,” he said.
He described the experience as a “wow moment” in his career, as he had been playing at his best before the setback.
The former Nigerian international, who scored 95 Premier League goals, revealed that his agent tried to accelerate his recovery to secure the move, but medical experts ruled out any quick return.
“My agent was going crazy… but nothing could be done,” he admitted.
He spent months in rehabilitation, watching football obsessively and struggling with the mental toll of being sidelined.
After recovering, Yakubu found it difficult to regain his starting spot at Everton, eventually leaving for Leicester City.
He later had spells at Blackburn Rovers, China, Qatar, Reading, Turkey, and Coventry City before retiring in 2017.
