Retired Nigerian footballer and Super Eagles legend, Jay-Jay Okocha, has said he would have cost €150m in today’s transfer market.
Okocha, who played for various clubs during his career including Paris Saint-Germain, Bolton Wanderers, and Fenerbahce, was known for his skillful dribbling, excellent technique, and ability to score spectacular goals.
He was also a key player for the Nigerian national team, helping them win the Africa Cup of Nations in 1994 and 2013.
In an interview with Turkish newspaper Hurriyet, the 49-year-old football star said he would have been sold for €150m if he was playing in the current transfer market. He stated this while speaking on the high fees clubs now pay to buy players.
“Maybe 1 billion should have been paid for me,” he said.
“They paid £106m for their defensive midfielder Chelsea. To a player from Portugal. I would have cost around €150m. My assists, dribbles… World football started to pay a lot of money. Such would be the numbers of players of this quality.”
Okocha also expressed his sadness at leaving Fenerbahçe, where he was loved by the fans.
He added, “It was a really difficult decision. I left very sadly. I was very happy in Fenerbahçe. Moreover, I married my wife in Turkey. My children were about to be born.
“When I went to the World Cup, I had no such thing in mind. After the matches in the World Cup, an offer came from PSG. Aziz Yildirim was the president. He didn’t want to send me. He didn’t even interview the PSG Club. This process has been very difficult. Despite my sadness, when such an offer came, I wanted to make money for Fenerbahçe.”
