Dusseldorf-born Nigeria goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has detailed his rollercoaster journey from the German lower leagues to Serie A, revealing near-misses and setbacks along the way.
The 22-year-old shot-stopper has emerged as a key figure for Udinese, but his path to the top has been far from smooth. After breaking into the Nigeria national team in 2019, Okoye’s career trajectory took a significant upturn when he secured a move from Fortuna Dusseldorf’s reserves to Eredivisie side Sparta Rotterdam.
His performances in the Netherlands were exceptional, earning him back-to-back Player of the Year awards. Such form inevitably attracted interest from the country’s top clubs, with Ajax Amsterdam reportedly keen on his services.
“Yes, it’s true that there were talks with Ajax back then, but it never got close to a deal,” Okoye told Tribal Football.
Maduka Okoye's torrid time in English football
However, a dream move to the Dutch giants was not to be. Instead, Premier League outfit Watford came calling, paying a Nigerian record fee of €5 million for the promising keeper.
“When Watford came it was a whole different world, the Premier League was around. I signed in the winter and by that time Watford was in the Premier League. That was a dream for a young boy from Düsseldorf,” Okoye said.
“Unfortunately, by the time I arrived in summer, Watford went down to the Championship.
“It was a tough year personally… a year with surgery, a year without playing… and still the Pozzo family gave me the chance to make a move to Udinese for which I’ll be forever grateful!”
After a slow start to life in Serie A, Maduka Okoye established himself as Udinese’s number one and produced a series of impressive displays, earning admiration and transfer interest from champions Inter Milan.
