Former Super Eagles striker Peter Odemwingie has threatened to take legal action against Sky Sports, West Bromwich Albion and Queens Park Rangers over the controversial transfer saga that unfolded on the final day of the January 2013 transfer window.
Odemwingie, now 45, said he intends to consult a lawyer next week over the continued replaying of footage from the incident, which became one of the most memorable moments associated with Premier League transfer deadline day. The former Nigeria international drove to QPR’s Loftus Road believing that a transfer from West Brom had been agreed, only for the proposed move to collapse before the deadline.
In a statement posted on Instagram, Odemwingie said he believes Sky Sports and individuals connected with both clubs have questions to answer over the circumstances surrounding the episode.
“Sky Sports agents and employees of both clubs – West Brom and QPR – definitely have questions to answer, and I will be seeing a lawyer next week to make it official,” Odemwingie wrote.
Odemwingie Questions Continued Broadcast of Footage
The former striker also turned his attention to Sky Sports over its continued use of footage from the dramatic deadline-day episode. Odemwingie questioned the broadcaster’s motive for repeatedly showing an incident that has remained part of Premier League transfer coverage for more than a decade.
He argued that, regardless of the sporting and entertainment value attached to the footage, its repeated broadcast had a human dimension that should also be considered.
“From simply a human side of it @SkySportsFootball, what is the motive/intention to show this episode on and on for so many years?” Odemwingie wrote. “The least will be lack or absence of respect in my opinion.”
In an accompanying video, Odemwingie expanded on his criticism of the broadcaster, accusing Sky Sports of repeatedly benefiting from the attention surrounding the failed transfer.
“The problem about this whole story is that nobody is interested in the truth. They just want to be distracted. Sky Sports milked this situation for so many years. I think it’s just wickedness really,” he said.
His comments indicate that he remains dissatisfied with the way the episode has been remembered and presented, particularly the continued circulation of footage showing him outside QPR’s stadium as he attempted to complete what he believed was an agreed transfer.
Odemwingie Gives His Account of Failed Move
Odemwingie also provided an explanation for why he travelled to Loftus Road on the night of the transfer deadline.
According to the former striker, his agent at the time, Barry McIntosh, had informed him that the move had already been concluded. Odemwingie said he followed his agent to QPR’s ground based on that understanding.
“Barry McIntosh told me it was all sorted. His car was in front of mine and we were driving,” Odemwingie said.
The transfer eventually fell apart because West Brom and QPR were unable to reach an agreement over the transfer fee before the 11pm deadline.
As a result, Odemwingie remained at West Brom for the rest of the 2012/13 season, despite having travelled to QPR’s stadium expecting the move to be completed.
The incident subsequently became a major talking point around the player, with his actions on deadline day leading to disciplinary action from West Brom.
Odemwingie has now raised further questions about the events, including an allegation that his former agent had links with Sky Sports. He also questioned the roles played by the broadcaster and the two clubs in the circumstances surrounding the failed transfer.
Those claims about the agent’s alleged links with Sky Sports and the wider role of the broadcaster and clubs have not been independently established.
QPR Shirt Auction Also Criticised
Odemwingie also criticised QPR over a shirt that had reportedly been prepared for his expected arrival at the club and was later sold by the club through an auction.
The former striker took issue with the decision to sell the shirt, adding another element to his continuing criticism of how the events surrounding the proposed transfer have been handled.
The failed move remains closely associated with the former Nigeria international because of the highly public nature of his appearance outside Loftus Road while the transfer remained unresolved.
At the time, his presence at QPR’s stadium attracted significant attention as the transfer deadline approached, while the deal ultimately failed to materialise after the two clubs could not settle the financial terms.
Odemwingie Continued Career After West Brom
Although the QPR transfer collapsed, Odemwingie eventually left West Brom later in 2013.
He joined Cardiff City in September 2013 before moving to Stoke City a year later. The former Nigeria international subsequently played for Bristol City and Rotherham before finishing his professional career with Indonesian club Madura United in 2017.
The 2013 deadline-day episode, however, continued to follow his career long after the failed transfer, becoming one of the most recognisable incidents from the Premier League’s transfer window era.
More than a decade after the events, Odemwingie is now seeking legal advice over what he considers the continued exploitation and presentation of the footage.
He said his intention to consult a lawyer next week could lead to formal action against Sky Sports, West Bromwich Albion and Queens Park Rangers over the matter.
Sky Sports, West Brom and QPR have been approached for their responses to Odemwingie’s latest claims.
For now, the former Super Eagles striker’s allegations remain his account of the circumstances surrounding the 2013 transfer saga, while any potential legal action would determine whether his concerns develop into a formal dispute involving the broadcaster and the two clubs.
