cJohn Utaka is a forward of the French club Montpellier HSC, he was born on 8 January 1982 in Enugu (Nigeria).<\/p>\n
John\u2019s professional career began at the local football club Enugu Rangers where Utaka played for a year.<\/p>\n
In 1998 John Utaka signed a two-year contract with an Egyptian football club Arab Contractors for which he played over a period of two years until 2000. The footballer participated in 45 club matches scoring 11 goals.<\/p>\n
In 2000 Utaka continued his career in Ismaily SC which also plays in the Egyptian Premier League. John participated in the club\u2019s matches for a year thus playing 21 games and scoring 17 goals.<\/p>\n
In 2001 Utaka was offered to move to Al-Sadd of Qatar. The footballer accepted the offer and signed a contract in accordance with which he played with that club until 2002.<\/p>\n
During the 2001\/02 season, John Utaka appeared in 27 matches and scored 14 goals.<\/p>\n
In the year 2002, John was called up to various European football clubs among which there was Lens.<\/p>\n
That French club appeared to be the most persistent and managed to sign a contract with the player.<\/p>\n
John played for the club till the end of the contract in 2005. The striker became an effective element in a club\u2019s counter-attacking. The head coach lined up the Nigerian forward in 102 matches in three years.<\/p>\n
John met the team\u2019s expectations by scoring 24 goals.<\/p>\n
In 2005 John received another offer. This time Utaka decided to join the French football club Rennes which played with varied success either in Ligue 1 or in Ligue 2.<\/p>\n
Utaka played for the club over a period of two years until 2007. The footballer appeared in 63 games scoring 22 goals.<\/p>\n
In 2007 Portsmouth paid \u00a37 million for Utaka to join the English football club. With that club, John signed a three-year deal until 2007.<\/p>\n
But the hopes laid on the player justified only partly. John participated practically in every match however his talent did not become apparent in England.<\/p>\n
During 4 years spent in the English Premier League, John scored only 10 goals in 90 matches.<\/p>\n
In 2011 John received a fair proposition from Montpellier HSC from the French Ligue 1. Utaka intended to leave Portsmouth and the offer from the French club was the best bid in the given situation.<\/p>\n
Utaka joined Montpellier on a two-and-a-half-year deal in January 2011 and at present, he actively participates in Montpellier matches.<\/p>\n
Since 2002 John has been periodically called up to the Nigeria national football team matches.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
cJohn Utaka is a forward of the French club Montpellier HSC, he was born on 8 January 1982 in Enugu (Nigeria). John\u2019s professional career began at the local football club Enugu Rangers where Utaka played for a year. In 1998 John Utaka signed a two-year contract with an Egyptian football club Arab Contractors for which […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":62,"featured_media":7134,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,18],"tags":[521,116,426,122],"class_list":["post-7132","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-sport","tag-coach","tag-football","tag-players","tag-sports"],"yoast_head":"\n