Aghahowa: I Missed Arsenal & Man United Moves Over Price Tag

Former Super Eagles striker Julius Aghahowa has revealed that during his early career at Shakhtar Donetsk, he was eyed by top-tier clubs like Arsenal F.C. and Manchester United F.C., but the proposed moves never materialised because Shakhtar placed a prohibitive price tag on him.

Aghahowa holds the distinction of being the youngest Nigerian to score at a FIFA World Cup, finding the net at 20 years and 115 days of age during the 2002 tournament in a 2-1 defeat to Sweden.

Reflecting on his scoring streak at youth tournaments and early professional career, Aghahowa explained that his performances generated interest from the Premier League. “Offers started coming in from Arsenal, Manchester United, all those clubs… but the president (of Shakhtar) said ‘This guy is going nowhere’. He asked for $40 million and the clubs said: ‘No, he’s a young player we cannot pay that’. So they backed off.”

Eventually, Aghahowa moved to the Premier League in January 2007 by signing for Wigan Athletic F.C.. His tenure at Wigan proved a challenge he managed only five Premier League starts in one and a half seasons.

He further reflected that his move to Europe and early success came in conditions of extreme adaptation, including weather and culture, but that the missed transfer opportunities still resonate as ‘what might have been’ moments in his career.

Editorial

In the annals of Nigerian football, Julius Aghahowa remains a figure of theatrical elevation the lightning pace, the iconic celebration, the wonder-goal at a World Cup. Yet his recent revelations about blocked moves to Arsenal and Manchester United cast a different kind of light on his journey not merely one of glory, but of decisions, valuations and the economics of talent.

When a player is valued at $40 million in an era and from a context less accustomed to such valuations, the spectre of regret often shadows the achievement. Here lies the paradox: a Nigerian forward making headlines in Ukraine, generating global attention, yet being kept within constraints imposed by club policy. Aghahowa’s quote  “he’s a young player; we cannot pay that”  suggests more than financial prudence. It suggests a systemic friction between ambition and access.

For our younger generation of Nigerian talent, the lesson is two-fold. Firstly, early impact matters but so too does the environment and timing of a transfer. Secondly, career progression hinges not just on ability, but on agency, support and market positioning. Aghahowa’s career path took him Europe, yes and to recognition but the unfulfilled potential of a bigger stage remains a cautionary tale.

In the final analysis, Aghahowa is more than a story of goals he is a story of transition. His experiences invite the question: when our players shine, are we prepared to enable their step into the most elite markets? Or do our systems, valuations and structures hold them back? If the latter, then talent alone however brilliant may not translate into destiny.

Did You Know?

1. Julius Aghahowa became the youngest Nigerian to score at a FIFA World Cup during the 2002 tournament at the age of 20 years and 115 days.
2. His performances at the 1999 FIFA U20 World Cup (hosted by Nigeria) helped launch his rise he scored in Nigeria’s 1-1 draw against Costa Rica in that tournament.
3. Despite interest from Premier League giants, the proposed transfer moves to Arsenal and Manchester United collapsed because his club set a fee of $40 million, which was rejected by the interested clubs.
4. His eventual move to England was with Wigan Athletic in January 2007, but despite high hopes he only made five Premier League starts over one and a half seasons.
5. After moving to Shakhtar Donetsk, Aghahowa rapidly adapted to challenging conditions including cold weather and a different culture, which catalysed his goal-scoring in Ukraine.