da realsbet： Watford’s Odion Ighalo has burst onto the scene in the Premier League this season. 15 goals in all competitions have brought him to the attention of many, but he is not the only eye-catching Nigerian to have graced the Premier League.
da imperador bet： Other Nigerian’s plying their trade in the Premier League currently include Manchester City’s emerging young striker Kelechi Iheanacho and Chelsea’s long-serving midfielder John Obi Mikel, amongst others.
The African nation has a history of producing some fantastic players, many of whom have made their mark on English football. Featuring an exciting blend of pace and power mixed with guile and technical ability, the success of their National side the “Super Eagles” in both the ’94 and ’98 World Cups led to an influx of players joining the ranks of the Premier League over that time and beyond.
Here we look at five of the best to have entertained the crowds of English football fans over the years.
5. John Obi Mikel
The only player on this list still currently playing in the Premier League, John Obi Mikel certainly has his critics, his own fans often amongst the most vociferous.
Despite not possessing great pace – in mind or body – the 28-year old has remained a permanent fixture in the variety of successful Chelsea sides over the past 10 years. A messy transfer saga between Chelsea, Manchester Utd and his then parent club Lyn Oslo eventually culminated in the midfielder joining the Blues for an overall £16m in the summer of 2006
The talent he displayed as a youngster that brought him to the attention of both Utd and Chelsea has rarely been seen in his time in the Premier League, the deeper role assigned at Chelsea curtailing some of his talent. The amount of trophies won with Chelsea however, as well as an African Cup of Nations victory in 2013, get him onto this list as much as his sporadic talent.
4. Obafemi Martins
Perhaps most famous in English football for scoring Birmingham’s winning goal against Arsenal in the 2011 League Cup Final, “Oba” Martins actually first enjoyed a spell on Tyneside with Newcastle between 2006 and 2009, having been bought from Inter for around £12m.
Displaying great pace and a mean shot, his performances were sometimes up and down but on his day he could be unplayable. His loan to Birmingham after spells at Wolfsburg and Rubin Kazan was generally unremarkable aside from the aforementioned winner against Arsenal, leaving him as somewhat of a cult hero to Blues fans ever since.
3. Yakubu
“The Yak”, as he came to be known, made over 250 Premier League appearances for a total of four different sides in the top-flight, spells with Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, Everton and a season with Blackburn leading him to become the second highest scoring African footballer in PL history, after Didier Drogba, with 96 goals.
Short on honours but high on skill, power and goal-scoring touch, his best achievement in England was probably helping Boro’ reach the UEFA Cup Final in 2006, aside from the amount of goals scored.
Still playing, Yakubu is currently captain of Turkish Super Lig side Kayserispor.
2. Kanu
Most notable for his time with Arsenal, in England at least, during the early 2000’s, Nwankwo Kanu was an undeniably skilful and tricky forward.
Having risen to prominence for Ajax, an unsuccesful time in Italy with Inter led him to the North Londoners in early ’99, and he was part of the league-winning sides of ’02 and ’04.
Never a hugely prolific striker, aside from a hugely successful time at the Dutch giants as a youngster, he nevertheless had the ability to twist defenders inside-out and had flashes of brilliance on occasion.
As Thierry Henry gained more prominence and playing time for the Gunners, Kanu lost out and eventually moved to West Brom and then Portsmouth, where he added a third FA Cup to the two won with Arsenal.
1. Jay Jay Okocha
And so the number one spot, Jay Jay Okocha was unquestionably the most technically brilliant and skillful Nigerian, and one of the best African, footballers ever to play in the Premier League.
Four years at Bolton with nothing more than a League Cup runners-up medal to his name may not sound impressive, but anyone that saw him play would testify that his dribbling, creativity and all-round flair were second to none.
Certainly he was adored by the Bolton fans, the immortal line “so good they named him twice” produced in his honour. Part of the Olympic Gold Medal-winning side as Kanu in 1996, his time in the Premier League may have produced little silverware but the impression he made on not just Bolton fans was significant.