Former Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel has detailed why, after signing a deal with Manchester United, he changed his mind about joining the Premier League club.
Mikel had the chance to play alongside Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, and others at Manchester United a few years ago, but despite signing a contract with the club, he picked Chelsea instead.
The 35-year-old has now confessed that Jose Mourinho, Roman Abramovich, and the great atmosphere at Chelsea influenced his decision.
Mikel was only beaten by Argentina’s Lionel Messi at the 2005 Under-20 World Cup in the Netherlands.
His performances made him the toast of several prominent European teams following the tournament, with Manchester United and Chelsea leading the race to sign him.
Mikel had already been photographed wearing a Manchester United shirt, indicating that he had signed a contract with the club.
However, the situation took an incredible turn when it was discovered that Chelsea had moved in to sign Mikel.
Many people are perplexed by the transfer situation, but Mikel had his own reasons for reconsidering his decision.
“I was 18 years old and all I wanted to do was play football,” Mikel told Nigerian radio station Naija FM 102.7 in Lagos.
“I had already signed with Manchester United, but I decided to join Chelsea after meeting with Mourinho and Roman Abramovich.”
“It appeared that Chelsea would be a more exciting place to be, but I’m pleased I went with my gut and selected it since it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”
“I had a fantastic time there, stayed for a long time, and won everything.” “In the end, I triumphed.”
Mikel’s decision to ignore Manchester United paid off, as he walked away from Stamford Bridge as an eleven-time champion.
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