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Raphael Onyedika pays tribute to Eintracht Frankfurt legend Austin Okocha
Raphael Onyedika has paid tribute to Austin “Jay-Jay” Okocha after being presented as an Eintracht Frankfurt player, describing his fellow Nigeria international as “a real legend in our country”.
The midfielder was introduced to the media and supporters on Wednesday, three days after Eintracht Frankfurt confirmed his arrival from Belgian champions Club Brugge.
Onyedika has joined the Bundesliga club in a deal worth 10 million euros and has signed a five-year contract that will keep him at Eintracht Frankfurt until 30 June 2031.
His move brings him to a club with a strong connection to one of Nigeria’s most celebrated footballers. Okocha spent four years at Eintracht Frankfurt between 1992 and 1996, establishing himself as a firm favourite with supporters through his exceptional technical ability and individual skills.
The former Nigeria captain later continued his career in England with Bolton Wanderers, where he enjoyed further success and strengthened his reputation as one of the country’s greatest-ever players.
Onyedika said Okocha’s influence at Eintracht Frankfurt remains well known in Nigeria, and acknowledged the significance of following in the club icon’s footsteps.
“Everybody in Nigeria knows about Jay-Jay Okocha. He’s a real legend in our country. Everyone knows about what he did at Eintracht and also in England,” Onyedika was quoted as saying by the official website of Eintracht Frankfurt.
The 24-year-old’s arrival from Club Brugge makes him the latest Nigeria international to represent Eintracht Frankfurt, a club where Okocha made a lasting impression during the 1990s.
Okocha’s four-season spell in Frankfurt is particularly remembered for the creativity, flair and technical quality he displayed in the Bundesliga. His performances made him one of the most popular figures among the club’s supporters before his subsequent move to Bolton Wanderers.
For Onyedika, the opportunity to begin his Bundesliga career at a club associated with such an important figure in Nigerian football gives his transfer added significance. His long-term contract reflects Eintracht Frankfurt’s commitment to the midfielder, who arrives after helping establish himself at Club Brugge.
The deal was completed with the Nigerian international joining from the reigning Belgian champions, and his presentation came three days after the German club formally announced the transfer.
Onyedika will now start his time at Eintracht Frankfurt with the legacy of Okocha already central to the way his move is being viewed in Nigeria. Rather than shy away from that comparison, he openly recognised the standing of the former midfielder and the mark he left on both the club and Nigerian football.
Okocha remains remembered in Frankfurt for the skill that delighted supporters between 1992 and 1996, while his later achievements with Bolton Wanderers further enhanced his status. Onyedika’s comments underline the enduring respect for the former Super Eagles star as the new signing begins his own chapter at Eintracht Frankfurt.
