Former Super Eagles player Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha has revealed that he almost joined Bayern Munich in 1991.
Speaking on the Obi One Podcast, Okocha shared that the German giants wanted to sign him after he impressed with their youth team at a tournament in Switzerland.
However, the move fell through due to age restrictions and the club’s refusal to provide a written contract. “I got an offer from Bayern Munich. I went with their youth team to a tournament in Switzerland, and after that, they wanted to sign me,” Okocha said.
“Because I turned 18 in August, German rules stated that you had to turn 18 before July to play professionally that season. Because of that, I wasn’t even allowed to play in the promotion play-offs for the third division team I was playing for, even though we won our regional league and were aiming for the professional second division.
“Bayern made me an offer, but it was only verbal because they said, ‘Oh, we can’t give you a professional contract until you turn 18.’ Since I turned 18 late in the year, I would have had to wait almost another year. I would have had to train with the professionals and play with the reserve team, but I was willing to take the risk because they were the biggest club in Germany.
“I asked them, ‘Can you put it in writing on paper? Because I can’t come all the way from Nigeria to rely on a verbal contract. What if I get injured and you tell me to go home? I’ll have nothing.’
They replied, ‘Well, if you don’t accept it, we’re sorry.’”
Following the disagreement, Okocha joined third-division side Borussia Neunkirchen to begin the season. During the winter transfer window, Eintracht Frankfurt stepped in with a structured approach, offering him a one-year amateur contract followed by a two-year professional contract.