Yakubu Aiyegbeni reveals he almost joined Chelsea

By Monsurah Olatunji

Former Everton striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni has opened up about the transfer that never happened, revealing that he was on the verge of joining Chelsea in 2008—only for a serious injury to derail the move.

The Nigerian forward, who had an impressive Premier League career with Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, and Everton, was reportedly “very, very close” to signing for Chelsea when disaster struck.

Aiyegbeni suffered an Achilles injury that sidelined him for 11 months, ultimately affecting not just his career but also his mental well-being.

In an emotional interview with Flashscore, Yakubu reflected on the tough period in his career.

“Everything was spot on and looked like it was going to happen, but I got injured and couldn’t play for 11 months,” he recalled.

“That’s my ‘wow’ moment, which I look back on, really. I felt like I was on fire at the time, and the move to Chelsea was pretty much there for me.”

The injury occurred during a match against Tottenham, just 10 minutes in, when he collided with Ledley King. “I can remember it all so clearly… I went up for a ball with Ledley King and just felt something pop in my calf,” Yakubu said.

Rehabilitation was grueling, and the emotional toll was evident. “Rehab was tough; there was so much repetition, and whenever I got to the training ground, my teammates were gone. Sometimes it would just be me at the training ground, and I’d be going crazy.”

While Yakubu’s career eventually took him to Blackburn Rovers, Reading, and Coventry City before his retirement in 2017, he admitted the mental challenges of recovering from such a serious injury.

“When you’re coming back from a serious injury like that, it’s crazy, because mentally you’re just not OK.

“You’re so keen to get back playing again, and training with your teammates. But you’re constantly thinking about whether or not you’re going to be alright; whether it’s going to happen again.”

Yakubu’s near-move to Chelsea remains one of the “what could have been” moments of his career, and his story serves as a reminder of the tough mental and physical challenges that professional athletes face.