Etuhu denies match fixing allegation

Former Super Eagles midfielder, Dickson Etuhu has denied involvement in a major European match-fixing scandal.

The Times reports Etuhu, who played 33 times for Nigeria, was quizzed by Swedish cops over allegations surrounding Gothenburg’s suspended clash against AIK Stockholm in May.

One of the league’s most high-profile fixtures was called off after AIK stopper Kenny Stamatopoulos told authorities he had been approached by a former team-mate.

The reserve goalkeeper, 38, insisted he had been offered a huge payday – believed to be around £180,000 – to under-perform after an injury to the club’s No1.

Ex-Manchester City, Sunderland and Fulham midfielder Etuhu is currently working as an agent after finishing his playing career at AIK in 2016.

The Times says he was voluntarily interviewed under caution but not arrested.

A special unit has been set up in Sweden to combat sports-related organised crime.

Prosecutors are expected to announce if any charges have been made over the allegations next month.

The Swedish FA’s secretary general Hakan Sjostrand revealed the former player at the centre of the allegations offered a “very large amount of money” while using “veiled threats”.

He told The Times: “It was a mixture of money and concrete threats, special circumstances that convinced me we cannot not play this match.

“We needed to protect this goalkeeper – what would happen if he made a mistake.”