Super Eagles legend Daniel Amokachi has opened up on how close he came to joining Italian giants Juventus before Everton ultimately secured his signature in a dramatic transfer twist following his standout performances at the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States.
Amokachi arrived at USA ’94 as one of Nigeria’s key attacking threats after helping the nation qualify for its first-ever World Cup appearance.
Then a striker for Belgian side Club Brugge, he quickly rose to global attention with powerful, decisive performances on football’s biggest stage.
The forward made an immediate impact in Nigeria’s historic 3-0 win over Bulgaria in Dallas, scoring a landmark goal that made him the youngest African scorer in World Cup history at the time. He followed that up with another goal in a 2-0 victory over Greece, becoming the first Nigerian player to score twice in a single World Cup tournament.
Those performances triggered strong interest from several European clubs, with Juventus emerging as one of the leading contenders for his signature. A move to Turin, however, never materialised, as negotiations eventually broke down.
Speaking on the Alive and Kicking podcast, as reported by The Liverpool Echo, Amokachi revealed how his transfer to Everton came unexpectedly while discussions with Juventus were still ongoing.
According to him, the move to Goodison Park happened suddenly after he was informed that Everton had entered the race. Despite initial concerns raised to him about the club, Amokachi said he was convinced by the opportunity to play in the Premier League and ultimately chose to make the switch.
Everton completed the signing in August 1994 for a then club-record fee of £3 million, beating their previous transfer record set for Tony Cottee.
Nicknamed “The Bull,” Amokachi went on to become a cult hero at Goodison Park despite not being a prolific scorer. He made 43 Premier League appearances between 1994 and 1996, scoring 10 league goals and delivering several memorable moments.
One of his most iconic contributions came in the 1995 FA Cup semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur. With Everton leading 2-1 and Paul Rideout injured, Amokachi famously entered the match in dramatic fashion and went on to score twice in a commanding 4-1 victory a performance manager Joe Royle later described as “the greatest substitution I never made.”
He also played a role in Everton’s FA Cup triumph that season, coming off the bench in the final as they defeated Manchester United 1-0 to secure the club’s last major trophy for many years.
After leaving Everton in 1996, Amokachi joined Turkish giants Beşiktaş, where he enjoyed another productive spell, scoring 19 goals in 97 appearances and helping the club to domestic cup success.
A serious knee injury around the 1998 World Cup later disrupted his career, with failed moves to 1860 Munich and Tranmere Rovers following medical issues.
He eventually had short stints in the United States, the United Arab Emirates, and Nigeria before retiring as player-manager of Nasarawa United.
