Former England defender Danny Mills has explained why Nigerian legend Austin Okocha never joined top English clubs like Arsenal or Manchester United, despite his outstanding talent.
Okocha, regarded as one of Africa’s most skilful footballers, shone at Eintracht Frankfurt and Fenerbahçe before making a then-record £14 million move to Paris Saint-Germain in 1998. He later became a Premier League favourite at Bolton Wanderers, thrilling fans with his creativity and flair.
During his peak years, Okocha was strongly linked with Arsenal and Manchester United, but a move never happened. Mills, who played for Leeds United, Manchester City and won 19 caps for England, suggested that Okocha’s unpredictable style may have put some top clubs off.
“He had so much quality, but he was unpredictable,” Mills told Complete Sports. “He could feign one way and go another, or pick a pass nobody else could see. That made him almost impossible to play against. If he had joined Arsenal or United back then, surrounded by better players, he might have been even greater. I still don’t know how he didn’t end up at one of those clubs.”
Mills added that Okocha’s free-spirited nature may have worked against him. “Maybe the fact he was such a maverick and individual made big clubs wonder how to fit him into a team. But Okocha was absolutely sensational.”
Okocha, who earned 73 caps for Nigeria and played in three FIFA World Cups, retired in 2008 after a career that took him across Germany, Turkey, France, England, and Qatar. His dazzling skills and fearless creativity left fans worldwide in awe, cementing his place as one of Africa’s greatest football exports.