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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has paid glowing tribute to former Super Eagles captain Austin Jay-Jay Okocha, describing the Nigerian legend as “an incredible natural talent” and one of the finest players he had the privilege of sharing the pitch with during his playing career, Soccernet.football reports.
Arteta and Okocha briefly played together at Paris Saint-Germain during the 2001/02 season. Arteta, then a promising 20-year-old on loan from Barcelona, joined forces with the mercurial Okocha, who was in his final season at the French club before heading to Bolton Wanderers in the English Premier League.
Reflecting on that season in a Sky Sports documentary titled Transfer 360: How Bolton Secured the Signing of Jay-Jay Okocha from PSG, Arteta lavished praise on the Nigerian midfielder for his exceptional skill, creativity, and influence.
“Unbelievable, one of the best players I ever played with; he was a joy to watch,” Arteta said in the documentary. “Incredible natural talent. He was a magician. He could do anything that he wanted with the ball. He could play any pass. He is very charismatic and has a very good personality. I learned a lot from him.”
Although their time together at PSG was brief, it left a lasting impression on Arteta. While Okocha departed for England, where he dazzled Premier League audiences with his flair and technical ability at Bolton, Arteta moved to Glasgow Rangers to continue his development before eventually establishing himself as a standout midfielder in the Premier League with Everton and Arsenal.
Apart from PSG and Bolton, Okocha also played for Eintracht Frankfurt, Hull City, and Fenerbahce during a hugely successful career.
One of the greatest African playmakers of all time, Okocha won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1994 and a gold medal at the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996 with Nigeria.
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