Nosa Igiebor admits that he was twice denied the chance to play in England when Real Betis refused to sell the Nigeria international to Everton or Fulham, speaking to Punch.
Now 31, the Premier League ship appears to have long since sailed for a player last seen in Cypriot football with Anathorsis Famagusta.
It is a decade, after all, since Igiebor got his big break at Betis, joining the La Liga giants after helping Hapoel Tel Aviv win the Israel Cup in 2012.
And, during his time in Andalusia, the 15-cap Nigerian received a handful of approaches from clubs based in England. Not that Betis were particularly interested in selling.
A missed opportunity
“I had two offers when I was with Real Betis but they didn’t let me leave because they wanted too much money for me,” explains Igiebor. “Fulham were interested in me.
“We played a pre-season game against them and I scored the only goal (in August 2013). Their manager at the time (Martin Jol) waited for me after the game.
“He said he liked my game and asked if I’d like to play for them and I said, ‘yes.’
“The following week, Betis got an offer but they turned it down, saying the money was too small. I think Everton was the second team but I’m not sure they made a concrete offer. The club didn’t tell me about it.”
According to the Daily Mail, West Bromwich Albion also came calling around the same time. Igiebor, who was valued at around £3 million back in early 2014, was one of the few highlights of a dreadful season for Betis, holding his own against the likes of Real Madrid.
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“He is very comprehensive, a real physical marvel and extremely technical,” Los Verdiblancos team-mate Joan Verdu once said of Igiebor.
The all-action midfielder would eventually return to Israel after a couple of seasons in Spain and never really rediscovered the form that caught the eye of Everton, Fulham and the Baggies.
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