John Mikel Obi, a former captain of Nigeria, claims that choosing Chelsea over Manchester United in a hotly contested trade in 2006 was the “best decision” of his professional life.
The midfielder, who announced his retirement last week at the age of 35, was at the center of a contentious dispute in 2005 between the Red Devils and the Blues before joining the latter team the following year.
After initially signing for the Manchester team from Norwegian club Lyn Oslo, his choice to relocate to London ultimately paid off.
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In an 11-year career that came to an end when he left Stamford Bridge in 2017, Mikel established himself as one of the club’s most decorated players, winning the Champions League, Europa League, two Premier Leagues, two League Cups, and four FA Cups.
Mikel told BBC Sport Africa, “I don’t regret any of the decisions I took because I appreciated all I did at Chelsea – it’s the best decision I have ever made in my life.
“When I was 17, I agreed to a pre-contract with Manchester United. Of course you’d be tempted if you were a young person and saw Sir Alex Ferguson standing there with the contract.”
Chelsea was surprised when he signed for their opponents despite having lots of prior running. Lyn quickly filed a missing person report while John Shittu, the player’s agent, hurried to Oslo to transport the player to London.
Misleading claims that Mikel had been abducted were all over the Norwegian television.
The 2013 Africa Cup of Nations champion recalls, “I played the part of a little boy, and as soon as Chelsea heard the news, they came and grabbed me out of Norway.
“At that point, rumors that I had been abducted began to circulate. I didn’t have a wonderful time at that time. Because I was so young, all I wanted to do was play football.
The 35-year-old began his career as an attacking midfielder, and at the junior level, he was unquestionably among the best in the league.
He gained notoriety when he played for Nigeria’s Under-17 and Under-20 teams as a typical number 10 behind the forwards, helping the latter team reach the 2005 U20 World Cup final.