Sunday Oliseh: How Juventus snatched 1999 transfer from Roma at Amsterdam airport

Former Nigeria midfielder Sunday Oliseh has revealed that Juventus intervened just two days before his planned move to AS Roma, inviting him to Amsterdam airport and completing a deal for his signature in the summer of 1999.

Oliseh had agreed to join Roma after an outstanding spell with Ajax, where he helped the Eredivisie club enjoy considerable success. Roma had already reached an agreement with Ajax for the transfer and were preparing to take him to the Stadio Olimpico.

However, Juventus made a late approach while Oliseh was preparing to travel to Italy. Speaking on thePlay Zone Podcast, the former Super Eagles captain said the Italian club presented an offer he could not reject.

“They had to wrestle me off the hands of Roma because [Fabio] Capello wanted me at Roma,” Oliseh said. “I was supposed to sign for Roma. They had made every agreement with Ajax.”

“Two days before I was supposed to fly there, Juventus flew in and invited me to the airport in Amsterdam. Juventus put an offer I couldn’t refuse and we signed at the airport.”

Juventus had identified Oliseh as the replacement for former France international Didier Deschamps, who had left the club after his own spell in Turin.

“I was brought in to replace Didier Deschamps. I just had an exceptional time at Ajax, where we won everything,” Oliseh added.

Despite arriving with a strong reputation, Oliseh said he found life at Juventus difficult and claimed it was the only club where he did not enjoy playing.

“Except for one club, that was Juventus, and that’s the only club I didn’t like playing for. At that time, I was the only and probably the first African to play at that club,” he said.

The former midfielder attributed his frustration to internal issues within the squad. He alleged that the players’ council had decided to support another player, whom he believed was not good enough, because he was from the same country as some of the group.

“I was unhappy at Juventus because the council of players had already made an agreement to support one player, who was not good enough, but they felt they had to make him play because he is one of their countrymen,” Oliseh said.

He also suggested that Carlo Ancelotti, then Juventus manager, lacked the authority at that stage of his career to make the difficult selection decisions needed to change the situation.

“And our boss Ancelotti, whom I respect so much, wasn’t strong then to make the tough decision like now. If it was now, he would have decided Sunday would play,” Oliseh added.

Oliseh’s time in Turin lasted one season. He made 19 appearances and scored one goal before leaving Juventus for Borussia Dortmund the following season.