Super Eagles Goalkeeper Explains Why His Transfer to Inter Milan Failed

• Nigerian shot-stopper Maduka Okoye has witnessed his stock rise since his transfer to Italian Serie A outfit Udinese
• The former Watford star has continued to attract transfer interest from several clubs within and outside Italy
• The 26-year-old, in a recent interview, detailed why a reported transfer to league champions Inter Milan fell through

Maduka Okoye’s stock has risen dramatically following his transfer to Udinese.

The Nigerian shot-stopper, who displaced veteran Marco Silvestri to become the Bianconeri’s first choice, has seen his goalkeeping heroics draw attention from several top clubs.

Okoye's impressive performances played a crucial role in helping Udinese avoid relegation at the end of the 2023/24 season, sparking interest from Inter Milan.

However, despite the links to the Italian champions, the move ultimately collapsed.

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In a recent interview, the Super Eagles goalkeeper revealed the reasons behind the breakdown of his proposed transfer to Inter.

Okoye speaks on failed Inter transfer

In an interview captured by Transfermarkt, the 26-year-old explained that Udinese's €15 million transfer demand became the stumbling block in what was initially shaping up to be a swift deal.

Okoye explained that negotiations stalled for a while before Inter Milan shifted their attention to Josep Martínez.

"Yes, it was a serious possibility and caused quite a stir," Okoye said. "Udinese wanted €15 million. There was some back-and-forth, and for a while, I thought I was ahead. But in the end, Inter chose Genoa's Josep Martínez. His release clause made the deal easier from their perspective."

Despite the missed opportunity, Okoye made it clear that he has no regrets about the failed move to Inter and has pledged his short-term commitment to Udinese, emphasizing that he isn't considering a transfer when the window reopens in January 2025.

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"I'm not disappointed. I'm happy to stay at Udinese. Of course, Inter would have been a dream, but I’m not dwelling on it—I’ll keep moving forward. With hard work and consistent performances, opportunities like this can come again. But I don't see myself at another club in January."

The Nigerian goalkeeper, who is expected to pose a significant challenge to Stanley Nwabali during the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, has already registered two clean sheets and saved a penalty in his seven appearances for Udinese, according to FotMob.

While a move away from Udinese so far has failed, the continued interest Okoye is attracting suggests his future could still be in play.

Why Okoye's girlfriend called him out

Briefly News reported that Okoye and Westhoff have been in a relationship for an unspecified time, kept their relationship off the internet, and do not even follow each other on social media.

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The 30-year-old Dutch model called the Udinese goalkeeper out on Instagram, claiming she has walked out of their relationship. She quickly deleted the posts and apologised for her initial messages. Her reason for calling him out bordered around disrespecting her, her family and their relationship.

Source: Legit.ng