Maduka Okoye reveals why his move to Inter Milan fell through
Super Eagles goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye, has opened up about how close he was to joining Italian giants Inter Milan during the summer transfer window. However, the move didn’t happen, and Okoye has since extended his stay at Udinese.
In an interview with Transfermarkt via Sempre Inter, Okoye explained that Inter Milan wanted him as a long-term replacement for their current goalkeeper, Yann Sommer, who is 35 years old.
Despite Okoye’s strong performances, Udinese valued him at €15 million, a price that Inter Milan were not willing to meet.
“Yes, the interest from Inter was real, and it caused some excitement,” Okoye said. “Udinese wanted €15 million, and there was a lot of back-and-forth. For a while, I thought the deal would go through, but in the end, Inter chose Josep Martínez from Genoa. His release clause made the deal easier for them.”
Despite missing out on the chance to join Inter, Okoye remains positive and focused on his career at Udinese. “I’m not upset about it. I’m happy to stay at Udinese,” he added. “Of course, joining Inter would have been a dream, but I’m not worried, and I will keep looking forward.”
Okoye is expected to continue as Udinese’s starting goalkeeper after the international break, with their next match against AC Milan on October 19.