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John Obi Mikel reveals war between Chelsea and Manchester United before he signed

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It was one of the most fascinating transfer sagas in modern football history, ending in a year-long court battle and with one very unhappy club.

Now, more than ten years on, John Obi Mikel finally reveals what really happened when he signed for both Manchester United and Chelsea.

After impressing for Nigeria at the FIFA Under-17 World Cup, Mikel earned a trial at Manchester united, as reported in The Sun.

Still in school, Mikel left his family to go oversees and train with United’s first team. So impressed by the teenager’s talent, Roy Keane and Paul Scholes told Sir Alex Ferguson that he must sign John Obi Mikel.

A month’s trial was followed by another three weeks at Carrington.

One agent even approached the Nigerian with a briefcase full of cash – £53,000 to be exact – promising that and more if he signed then and there.

Desperate to get his man, Alex Ferguson told Mikel that he could be driving plush cars like all the other Manchester United players.

After returning home, Mikel’s first call wasn’t from United as promised, but from agent John Shittu telling him Chelsea were now interested.

A copy of the contract between Manchester United and John Obi Mikel
A copy of the contract between Manchester United and John Obi Mikel (Image: Manchester United via Getty)
A copy of the contract between Manchester United and John Obi Mikel
Signed on the dotted line… (Image: Manchester United via Getty)

The midfielder trained with the Blues and subsequently signed Shittu as his agent.

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Seven months passed and Mikel moved to Norway where he trained under former United man Henning Berg at Lyn Oslo.

After turning 18, Mikel signed a pro contract with the side and, following a few appearances for the club, Ferguson flew out to meet him.

The ex-United boss declared he did not want to lose Mikel again and sent a contract worth £1.5million to Lyn Oslo.

Mikel signed and was photographed in a Manchester United shirt at a press conference.

It wasn’t until Mikel had signed that he found out Chelsea had an agreement in place with Lyn Oslo to not sell him to any other club.

Mikel played along Chelsea’s biggest legends (Image: Getty Images Sport)
John Obi Mikel in action with Marko Arnautovic
Mikel made 374 appearances for Chelsea (Image: Reuters / Stefan Wermuth)

“We flew to London,” Mikel told The Sun . “I remember thinking: ‘I’ve signed for United but now I’m flying to Chelsea!’.”

News in Norway had reported that Mikel had been kidnapped such was the nature of his sudden disappearance.

The Nigerian stayed in a house in London while a year-long legal battle ensued, not kicking a ball for a club in that time. Mikel did however compete for Nigeria in the African Nations Cup in Egypt.

Upon returning, Mikel met with then Premier League chief Sir Dave Richards and told him that he wanted to play for Chelsea.

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Mikel enjoyed European success with Chelsea (Image: Alex Livesey)

A secret meeting with Jose Mourinho then took place, involving six cars just to get Mikel there. The Portuguese convinced Mikel to join.

Mikel met with Fergie again seven days later when he had to tell a very angry Old Trafford legend he wouldn’t be joining the club.

“It was surreal,” Mikel told The Sun. “I was at school, but had Chelsea and Manchester United — two of the world’s biggest clubs — trying to sign me. I’ll never forget that second meeting with Sir Alex. I’d signed a deal at United but had to tell him: ‘Sorry, I want to play for Chelsea’.

Jose Mourinho was crucial in bringing Mikel to Chelsea (Image: JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP/Getty Images)

“I heard nothing from United after my trials but Chelsea looked after me and my family. I had a loyalty to them.”

Barcelona were even ready to pounce should neither club settle the dispute.

But the ordeal ended with Chelsea paying £4m to Lyn Oslo and £12m to Manchester United in compensation.

Mikel went on to make 374 appearances for Chelsea, winning two Premier League titles, four FA Cups, One Champions League trophy and one Europa League trophy.

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Osimhen Crowned 2023 CAF Footballer of the Year

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Victor Osimhen has been named the 2023 African Footballer of the Year, cementing his status as one of the world’s top players.

Osimhen surpassed competition from Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi and Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah for the prestigious award.

The Super Eagles forward concluded a remarkable year in the imperial Moroccan city of Marakesh, ending Nigeria’s 24-year wait for Africa’s top individual prize, last won by legendary Kanu Nwankwo in 1999.

During the event, Osimhen expressed gratitude, acknowledging the impact of Nigerian legend Emmanuel Amuneke, who coached him at the U-17 level, and the support from fans and fellow players.

“It’s a dream come true for me. I want to thank everyone who has seen me through life’s journey, in achieving my dreams and goals. I appreciate Nigerians and Africa for their unwavering support and encouragement,” he said.

Osimhen recognised the influence of Emmanuel Adebayo, Solomon Kalu, and other African legends, expressing gratitude to his role model, Didier Drogba.

The award reflects Osimhen’s outstanding performances with Napoli, where he played a pivotal role in their Serie A title run, scoring 26 league goals and becoming the first African to win the top scorer award, breaking George Weah’s record in the Italian top-flight.”

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Lionel Messi Secures Historic 8th Ballon d’Or Triumph

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Lionel Messi, the renowned Argentine football icon, clinched the coveted 2023 Ballon d’Or, setting a new record for the 2022 World Cup champion.

In a glamorous event held in Paris, Messi, who now plays for Inter Miami, received the prestigious award on Monday night. This achievement is widely seen as a well-deserved recognition for his pivotal role in guiding the Abiscelete to World Cup victory in the previous year.

Aged 36, Messi succeeded Karim Benzema as the recipient of this award, which acknowledges his exceptional performances during the last season when he inspired Argentina to triumph at the World Cup.

His remarkable displays in Qatar, where he led his nation to a historic victory, enabled him to surpass strong competition, notably from Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland. Haaland secured the second spot in the final voting, with Mbappe finishing third and Kevin De Bruyne taking fourth place.

Messi, a former Barcelona superstar, left an indelible mark at the World Cup, scoring seven crucial goals. His exceptional performance led to him being named the tournament’s best player, especially after Argentina’s victory over France in the final.

While Messi’s World Cup heroics were undeniable, his final season with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) was relatively lackluster. Subsequently, he made a move to Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.

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His former PSG teammate, Mbappe, made a strong case for the Ballon d’Or with his outstanding World Cup performance, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with eight goals, including a memorable hat-trick in the final for France.

Norwegian striker Erling Haaland had a remarkable season, scoring an incredible 52 goals in 53 games for Manchester City. This stellar performance played a pivotal role in helping Pep Guardiola’s team secure a historic treble in the English Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League.

Both Haaland and De Bruyne were nominated for the Ballon d’Or from their exceptional contributions to the success of Manchester City.

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“B Sample Reveals Presence of Testosterone in Pogba’s Test Results”

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Juventus and France midfielder Paul Pogba’s ‘B’ sample has confirmed the presence of testosterone, a source close to the case told AFP on Friday.

The 30-year-old former Manchester United player, a World Cup winner in 2018, faces a ban of up to four years.

The original test by the Italian anti-doping agency (Nado) showed the presence of testosterone metabolites.

On Friday, Pogba learned that the analysis of his B sample, carried out on the previous day, had produced the same result.

The player’s entourage declined to comment.

Under the World Anti-Doping Code, Pogba is liable to a four-year suspension, which could be halved if he proves that he was not at fault.

The ban could even be limited to a few months if the use of the substance took place “out of competition and is not related to his level of performance”.

Pogba’s representatives said last month that the testosterone came from a food supplement prescribed by a doctor he consulted in the United States.

Testosterone promotes muscle development.

Contacted by AFP, Nado was unable to confirm this information “due to a decision by the Italian privacy authority”.

Pogba has seven days to submit his defence to Italy’s National Anti-Doping Tribunal, which will investigate his case and request a sanction, a process that could take several weeks.

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In addition to the proceedings of the Italian sports justice system, a judicial investigation will be opened by the Turin public prosecutor’s office, as doping is a criminal offence in Italy.

Since the announcement of his positive test, Pogba has been unable to train with Juventus, the club to which he returned in July 2022 after six seasons with United.

The announcement came shortly before Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri’s press conference on the eve of the Turin derby against Torino, at which he simply said he was “sorry for Paul”.

Contacted by AFP, the club, which has also suspended payment of his estimated annual salary of 8 million euros (8.4 million dollars), did not respond.

Pogba started the season attempting to bounce back from string of injuries last season and from summer surgery.

His sample was reportedly taken at his club’s opening match of the Serie A season, a win at Udinese on August 20, during which he was an unused substitute.

After the first sample tested positive on September 11,  Pogba’s agent Rafaela Pimenta said she was “awaiting the second sample and cannot have an opinion before the results”.

“What is certain is that Paul Pogba never wanted to break a rule,” she added.

 

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