Nigerian midfielder, Ogenyi Onazi has disclosed an intriguing chapter from the early days of his football career, revealing that he was close to signing with Premier League club Chelsea.
This opportunity came about following his impressive performances at the 2009 FIFA U17 World Cup, where he played a crucial role in Nigeria’s journey to a second-place finish in the tournament.JAMB Portal
Following his standout displays at the U17 World Cup, Onazi was invited for a trial at Chelsea. His potential and skills during the trial caught the attention of the club.JAMB Result
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However, a deal with the London-based team did not materialize. The primary reason for this was Onazi’s age; he had not yet reached the age of majority, which posed a legal obstacle in finalizing a contract with Chelsea.NYSC Portal
Despite this setback, Onazi’s career trajectory remained upward. In 2011, he joined Italian Serie A club Lazio. He started his stint at Lazio by playing for their youth teams. His talent and hard work paid off as he earned promotion to Lazio’s first team, marking the beginning of his professional career in European football.
“When I was young, I almost signed for Chelsea, but we were underage and couldn’t play.
“We had to wait until we were 18. There was a lot of process.InformationGuideNigeria
“That is why my manager decided that we would go to Italy at that time. So he could start in Lazio’s second team and then, when he developed, he could start in the first team,” Onazi told Ajansspor.
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