John Obi Mikel thread

eyerer

bet drogba must be sick of eto'o

Hobart

Interview with John Shittu (Mikel's Manager as he call's himself) where he discusses Obi and 1 or 2 other "prospects" . Judgeing by the grammer the interview looks "verbatim". He also refers to Manchester United as "idiots". Way to go Johnny boy!!

masterK

From Sky Sports

Interview with Bruce Buck

Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck has confirmed the Premiership champions are waiting in the wings to sign John Obi Mikel.

The talented Nigerian signed for Manchester United last year but has since stated that he wants to switch from Lyn Oslo to Stamford Bridge instead.

After enhancing his growing reputation in the African Cup of Nations, the midfielder will be the subject of more legal wrangling before having his footballing future finalised.

"The situation is fluid at the moment," Buck told Sky Sports News. "There is a lawsuit pending in Norway that we are not party to.

"There is a Fifa investigation which is in abeyance, pending what happens in Norway.

"I would say, if the boy becomes available, he's someone we're very interested in and someone we'd like to talk to."

Mikel has revealed that he has already spoken to Blues boss Jose Mourinho, despite chief executive Peter Kenyon's claims that there has been no contact from Chelsea for the African prodigy.

Some letters were leaked to the press recently indicating that United feel their signing is being coerced into agreeing a more lucrative transfer to Chelsea, and this disappointed Buck.

"The recent release of some letters?" he added. "We saw those letters in the spring time.

"We were disappointed then but clubs and people have to do what they think is right. We're looking at this situation and dealing with it in the way we think is right."

Buck hinted that Chelsea are leading the race to sign DC United whizz-kid Freddy Adu.

"We are interested in any young top-notch players," he enthused. "That's why we brought Frank Arnesen on board.

"I'm sure Frank has watched him play and is looking at him.

"If he's as good as people say he is, I think we would be interested, yes."

I wonder was he able to keep a straight face giving that interview, this stance of denying any contact with Mikel or any of his representitives from Chelsea is really insulting the intelligence of all in the game.

sprinkles

Hobart wrote:

Interview with John Shittu (Mikel's Manager as he call's himself) where he discusses Obi and 1 or 2 other "prospects" . Judgeing by the grammer the interview looks "verbatim". He also refers to Manchester United as "idiots". Way to go Johnny boy!!

He also mentions how he has another player who recently signed for Chelsea......I wonder if you emptied his pockets would there be a few reubles in there.

Beside Ogbuke, which other boy did you say you also have?

We have Emmanuel Saki who just signed a contract with Chelsea but he is now in Belgium with Westalow, he’s been loaned out because he cannot get a work permit here in England.

Aquos76

Sorry for dragging up this old thread but found this on another forum and if its true it looks like the kid is on his way to Chelsea, with Man Utd receiving something like $15million of a "transfer fee"

But as I said, it may not be accurate...

Mikel joins Chelsea gets three-year deal,
• Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Prodigiously talented Nigerian teenager, John Obi Mikel, will have his career freedom from the protracted transfer feud between two Premiership giants, Chelsea and Manchester United finally settled when he signs a three-year contract with Chelsea this week.

After reaching a peaceful settlement of the transfer logjam, Chelsea have tabled a contract proposal to the Super Eagles young midfielder, which will keep him at the Stamford Bridge for three seasons.

And the teenage dazzler, who had plied his trade previously with Lyn Oslo, Norway, is expected to pen the deal this week.

“All the talk about Mikel’s freedom from the transfer problem is now over,” restates a source, who is a member of the player’s family.

“What is the major issue right now is that Chelsea have offered him a three- year contract.

“ And if all things go well, by the grace of God, he will sign the contract this week.

“And it is only by that time that our (Mikel’s family) happiness will be complete because the boy, and, of course, ourselves have passed through a lot of stress while the transfer problem lasted,”

“Right now that has not being too clear.

“What I do know presently is that the $15m Chelsea will pay as compensation to Manchester United is like a transfer fee.

“However, like I said earlier, he will sign the contract documents this week and before then there are other areas that have to be streamlined,” our usually impeccable source disclosed

Source

sprinkles

Aquos76 wrote:

Sorry for dragging up this old thread but found this on another forum and if its true it looks like the kid is on his way to Chelsea, with Man Utd receiving something like $15million of a "transfer fee"

But as I said, it may not be accurate...



Source

$15 mil is a nice return on him but I would have still preferred to have him as a United player next season. He's gotta ask himself though, where does he fit in the team....behind Diaba, who's cover for Essien, who's cover for makalele/Ballack.

PHB

First off, he must be an idiot if he still wants to move to Chelsea. He is an attacking midfielder, very attacking. He will fit in on the bench behind Ballack and Lampard. That said, you don't have his talent without a certain amount of ego.

---

That news source, is sourced from an 'our usually impeccable source'.
It's nigerian news!
Which is directly from ****tu.
Basically, it's nothing.

United are not backing down on this.
There is absolutely no way they will let him go to Chelsea.
You know whats so funny about this news?

The only developments in the past few months, have all, every single one, confirmed United do indeed own him.

If he is sold, which he won't be, he cost 6 million and he was 18, United rate him, but if he is, it'll be abroad.

Aquos76

PHB wrote:

---

That news source, is sourced from an 'our usually impeccable source'.
It's nigerian news!
Which is directly from ****tu.
Basically, it's nothing.

As I said, I cant confirm the accuracy of this, It may turn out to be total ****e, but then again there may be some truth to it. I guess only time will tell.

Your points about how he would fit it and an ever growing midfield are spot on though.

PHB

As I said, I cant confirm the accuracy of this, It may turn out to be total ****e, but then again there may be some truth to it. I guess only time will tell.

No seriously, it's absolute bull****. The source of the story is ****tu. Time doesn't need to tell, it's bull****.

Chucky the tree

PHB wrote:

That news source, is sourced from an 'our usually impeccable source'.
It's nigerian news!
Which is directly from ****tu.
Basically, it's nothing.

United are not backing down on this.
There is absolutely no way they will let him go to Chelsea.
You know whats so funny about this news?

Clearly he wants to move to chelsea yes? Do you not see a problem with keeping a player at united who clearly doesnt want to be there?

BKtje

when hes already agreed to play for another club? yes i do.
Thats life, you dont always get what you want when you want it (if ever).

PHB

Clearly he wants to move to chelsea yes? Do you not see a problem with keeping a player at united who clearly doesnt want to be there?

What would you do if Gerrard came out and said he wanted to play for Chelsea? He had 5 years left on his contract.

You have two choices:

Force him to play, hoping he'll change his mind.
Sell him to a foreign club

The Rooster

BBC 5 Live said this morning that he'll be signing for Chelsea - and Chelsea will pay ManU £12m

TheMonster

The Rooster wrote:

BBC 5 Live said this morning that he'll be signing for Chelsea - and Chelsea will pay ManU £12m

BBC website have it from "The Star" and I think they have it from Nigerian newspapers - As PHP said not much has chnaged in the last few months but anything that has has been in Utds favour

Aquos76

TheMonster wrote:

BBC website have it from "The Star" and I think they have it from Nigerian newspapers - As PHP said not much has chnaged in the last few months but anything that has has been in Utds favour

Link to the BBC site

TheMonster

Aquos76 wrote:

Link to the BBC site

Chelsea have paid Man Utd £10m for Nigerian 18-year-old John Obi Mikel, who is expected to sign a three-year deal at Stamford Bridge. (Star)

As I said from "The Star" - its in their gossip section

Necronomicon

Yeah, SSN were reporting it as well this morning.

growler

can't see a reason for cfc to pay Man U anything, if they did its as good as admitting they went after him post contract signing and why let ud extort money from us if the lad was genuinely forced to sign.

The whole thing reeks.

Aquos76

Sportinglife are also reporting it with their source being the dailyexpress

Necronomicon

growler wrote:

can't see a reason for cfc to pay Man U anything, if they did its as good as admitting they went after him post contract signing and why let ud extort money from us if the lad was genuinely forced to sign.

But there's been claims on both sides that he was 'forced' into signing, the only established fact is that he does have a contract with United. If the situation was to continue without being resolved, 10 million might be better than risking losing the player from a decision from FIFA.

Big Nelly

growler wrote:

can't see a reason for cfc to pay Man U anything, if they did its as good as admitting they went after him post contract signing and why let ud extort money from us if the lad was genuinely forced to sign.

The whole thing reeks.

Think this proves that Chelsea's usual underhand dealings are at work again, afraid to go to court where the club could be banned from making any transfers for a year(roma) they hand over 10million to keep Utd happy, it was Frank Arnerson from Spurs last season. Maybe FIFA should start looking into all there dealings

futuredeath

i for one hope he fails miserably in the premiership,
would serve him right.

Aquos76

growler wrote:

can't see a reason for cfc to pay Man U anything,

I would guess it may have something to do with the fact the United reporterly paid 4 million for him.

Here is the backround of the whole saga.

TheMonster

lads calm down - the origin of this is his agent talking to Nigerian newspapers and the English press have picked up on it.

Aquos76

TheMonster wrote:

lads calm down - the origin of this is his agent talking to Nigerian newspapers and the English press have picked up on it.

Hopefully, that is indeed the case, and hopefully this saga will come to an end sometime soon.

growler

Big Nelly wrote:

Think this proves that Chelsea's usual underhand dealings are at work again, afraid to go to court where the club could be banned from making any transfers for a year(roma) they hand over 10million to keep Utd happy, it was Frank Arnerson from Spurs last season. Maybe FIFA should start looking into all there dealings

what i said was that if they did pay money to Man U it would look very bad, if Man U pressured him into signing (asa he alledged) then why should Chelsea reward them for their underhand practices ?

What exactly was wrong with Arnesen coming to Chelsea ? He's a grown up AFAIK.

Can you enlighten me on the "usual underhand dealings" that Chelsea have been invovled in please ?

Big Nelly

growler wrote:

what i said was that if they did pay money to Man U it would look very bad, if Man U pressured him into signing (asa he alledged) then why should Chelsea reward them for their underhand practices ?

Think you will find that Utd signed the player and then the agent thought he could make more from Chelsea so all of a sudden the player(who has a contract with Utd) is sitting in London meeting Chelsea and saying he wants to sign for them after a few months before said he was overjoyed to be joining Utd.

growler wrote:

What exactly was wrong with Arnesen coming to Chelsea ? He's a grown up AFAIK.

Nothing, but of course he was working for a Club with a contract and Chelsea cme waving there millions and another club lose a member of staff.

growler wrote:

Can you enlighten me on the "usual underhand dealings" that Chelsea have been invovled in please ?

Shevchenko, Cole etc, how many players do Chelsea have to unsettle at there clubs so they can sign them. Its been proved in court they actted illegally in regards to Cole

TheMonster

http://www.soccerphile.com/soccerphile/news/ranter/john-obi-mikel.html

The Very Strange Transfer Saga of John Obi Mikel
The Ranter
The ongoing saga of Nigerian wonderkid John Obi Mikel's transfer from Lyn of Oslo in Norway to Manchester United is a story of intrigue and the murky world of football agents.

Although the player would appear to have signed a contract with United on April 29th a lengthy process of breaking that agreement is underway – a process that is being carried out by a legion of middlemen and agents, possibly on behalf of the richest football club in the world.

Indeed amid allegations of bribery, player trafficking and “kidnapping” it would seem highly unlikely that 18 year old Mikel will ever play for the Old Trafford outfit. Soccerphile.com spoke to Daniel Fletcher, Mikel's FIFA registered agent, in an effort to find out more …

The Background
Manchester United's two year long pursuit of John Obi Mikel began with an invitation for the entire Nigerian under-17 squad to train at their Carrington complex ahead of the 2003 FIFA U-17 World Youth Championships. The Reds were the first European club to express an interest in the player.

Indeed players and management alike were highly impressed by the youngster but British immigration law and FIFA rules meant that United were unable to sign the player at that time. Instead, the club were to follow the progress of Mikel and then attempt to sign him when he turned 18.

The plan hinged on whether Mikel had gained enough caps in order to obtain a work permit. If he had, a transfer could take place, if not United would have loaned him to Sporting Lisbon or Royal Antwerp until a transfer was possible.

It was around the same time that Daniel Fletcher first spotted the talent in the young Nigerian. Currently working with London based Athletes1 – with which his former company ‘Excel International Management' recently merged – Fletcher's has a number of major sports names on his books. He is also a man at the very heart of the ongoing Mikel transfer saga. As Fletcher argues:
“Mikel had a great tournament in Finland,” he says. “After the tournament I pursued his signature aggressively but I obviously did due diligence. FIFA regulations only allow one agent worldwide for a footballer. I am Mikel's registered agent and the English and Nigerian FAs countersigned the contracts. There cannot be another registered agent because those FAs would not allow two agents to have exclusivity with one player.”

"At the time I signed Obi he was a minor. I got the signatures, the agreement of his parents," Fletcher insists. Although the family have subsequently claimed to have never met with him, Fletcher maintains that the company's Nigerian office did and that a series of phone and email communications sealed the deal. John Obi Mikel eventually signed a two-year exclusive contract with him in July 2004.

It's a point that would later become central to the transfer of Mikel from Lyn to Manchester United.

The Transfer
United had tried to get Mikel to the club on a scholarship contract in the summer of 2003. Yet, even at this early stage in the saga Mikel was an elusive man. "Nigerian players do come with a reputation. I can't guarantee that he hasn't signed other exclusive contracts. What I've said all along is that I did the appropriate due diligence and that the contract he has with me is legal."

Indeed other agents including John ****tu and Jerome Anderson of Sport Entertainment & Media Group (SEM), and Rune Hauge all claim to have agreements of one form or another with the player.

United too were drawn into the saga early on. In the Spring of 2004 Mikel was due to join United on a "scholarship", says Fletcher - a schooling that the player was never to fulfil. As Fletcher adds, "Obi disappeared and it took months to track him down. I eventually found him at Ajax Capetown in South Africa." Disappearing was to become a John Obi Mikel trademark.

United did eventually get their man however. Mikel had already joined Lyn on a youth contract by the time he turned 18 on April 22nd 2005. According to Fletcher, Autumn 2004 saw Mikel join Lyn on the recommendation of United's Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who had trained with the player back in the summer of 2003.

In the week following Mikel's 18th birthday United began negotiations with Lyn and the player over a possible transfer. Jim Ryan, United's academy director, was charged with reaching an agreement with the two parties. Despite the ongoing communications problems with the player – Mikel has a “massive forcefield around him.

Every time I called somebody else answered the phone,” says Fletcher – Ryan was in Oslo just days after Mikel put pen to paper on his first professional contract. It was almost two years to the day since the player had first trained at Carrington. Indeed, Mikel signed his first contract with Lyn on April 22nd and signed for United just seven days later.

United had splashed out on a deal that with bonuses could have been worth a Norwegian record fee to the club and around £10,000 a week to the player. Mikel eventually signed professional forms with United on April 29th, with a transfer agreed for the end of the Norwegian season in January 2006.

Mikel and United went on record stating their "delight" with the transfer. The beamng player appeared on Norwegian television sporting his number 21 shirt alongside Jim Ryan and Lyn's sporting director Morgan Anderson. Something that Mikel would later claim was forced upon him.

The Chelsea Connection
Chelsea has also been tracking the player during this period – quite possibly after CEO Peter Kenyon moved from Old Trafford to West London following Roman Abramovich's takeover at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea management were reported to be “furious” that they'd missed out on Mikel. They had apparently paid £190,000 towards Mikel's ‘education'. It has since emerged that Mikel was just one of four Nigerian boys for whom Chelsea paid Rune Hauge's TNG school in Oslo.

Norway is becoming a popular stepping stone for young players from Africa who see it as an opportunity to work in a country that has relatively lenient immigration laws. However, under Norwegian law all minors must receive an ‘education' to qualify for a visa. It's also an opportunity for clubs from the major European leagues to park players from Africa while they qualify for work permits.

Shortly after the transfer to United was announced Mikel claimed to have received death threats from people "in London and Nigeria". In the days that have followed it seems that the pressure placed on the player may have come from groups who had a vested interest in the player. Mike then disappeared on May 10th – leaving a cup match between Lyn and Klemetsrud in the back of a car driven by John ****tu. He was taken first not to his home in the suburb of Bekkestua but to the Holmenkollen Park Hotel in Oslo by ****tu and then on the 12th to London.

By the 13th Mikel conducted his first interview with Sky Sports in which he claimed that he no longer wanted to join United, that he'd been pressured into signing a contract, and that he wanted to join Chelsea instead.

“Did you see the press conference with Jimmy Ryan and Obi in Oslo?” There's a hint of disbelief in Fletcher's voice. “Just compare the player then and what has been said since. He was smiling, he was happy; he said it was a dream to join United.” Fletcher's been less equivocal in other media, accusing ****tu and Anderson of pressuring the player into saying that he wants to join Chelsea ahead of United. “I've had indirect contact with the player through a very trusted source,” says Fletcher. “I have every reason to believe that Obi still wants to join United”.

How then does Fletcher justify both the Sky Sports interview held on May 13th by Obi in which he says he was forced to join United? This was compounded on 20th of May in a bizarre telephone interview held for BBC Two's Newsnight with investigative journalist Michael Crick. “Just look at the Sky Sports interview. John is nervous, every time the word ‘agent' is mentioned he's looking around. He looks scared.”

Fletcher is even more dismissive of the Newsnight telephone interview. Indeed many people in football now believe that the call was a fake. “I told Michael Crick that all he had to do was call me,” is Fletcher's response. “Anybody who has ever spoken to John knows that he is softly spoken, he has quite a deep voice. The person on the phone was excitable; he didn't even give any answers. I knew straight away it wasn't him.”

Indeed United were unequivocal in their condemnation of what they believed to be Chelsea's intervention. Without mentioning the West London club by name in the media United wrote to Chelsea, then the FA and finally to FIFA.

TheMonster

part 2

Player Status
Given that the player has a contract with both Lyn and United, and Lyn with the Old Trafford club, Chelsea has little legal chance of signing the player on the face of it. However, it would seem highly likely that Chelsea will attempt to prove that Lyn did not have the right to sign John Obi Mikel in the first place and therefore didn't have the right to sell him; that indeed Mikel's original contract was with TNG as Rune Hauge has already claimed on the record. In the end Fletcher argues that FIFA will have to decide.

"I can tell you that United have a legal contract with the player, that I have a contract with the player," Fletcher asserts. "It will end up at the FIFA Player Status Committee but everybody is putting off a decision. It could take months. The FA has washed their hands of it. In the end somebody has to decide and it could end up in court."

It could have serious consequences for the player too as a breach of contract could lead to a FIFA ban of anything up to two years. Indeed for a player who has only played three games in the Norwegian League Mikel - or more realistically his advisors - are taking a huge risk. For the time being Mikel remains with the Nigerian under-20 squad ahead of the World Youth Championships in the Netherlands later this month.

United have jointly petitioned FIFA with Lyn and have the backing of both the Nigerian FA and PFA. “It was at United's behest that I put together the letter to FIFA" Fletcher says. It would seem that Daniel Fletcher is still very much at the heart of a very strange transfer saga.

Timeline
- June 2003: Mikel and the Nigerian under-17 team are invited to Carrington by United. Mikel trains with the United first team squad.
- Spring 2004: Mikel fails to turn up to start his scholarship with United
- Autumn 2004: Mikel joins Lyn Oslo on a youth contract
- Chelsea pay £190k to TNG through Rune Hauge; Mikel and three other Nigerians join the school
- 2005: Mikel trains with Chelsea in London while 'studying' at TNG school in Oslo
- April 22nd 2005: Mikel turns 18 and signs a pro contract with Lyn
- April 22nd-28th 2005: Lyn cancel contracts signed by Mikel as a minor
- April 22nd-28th 2005: Chelsea enter negotiations for Mikel; the bid is turned down by Lyn amid accusations of "arrogance" on Chelsea's part
- April 22nd-28th 2005: United make bid for Mikel, which is accepted
- April 29th 2005: Mikel signs a professional contract with United; a beaming player is interviewed on TV, complete with number 21 United shirt
- April 30th-May 10th: Mikel receives 'death threats'
- May 10th: Mikel states on Norwegian TV that he is "delighted with United move"
- May 10th: Mikel is taken by ****tu to a hotel; Lyn call the police
- May 11th: Mikel states that he no longer wants to join United and that he'd been "forced into signing a contract" against his will
- May 12th: Mikel flies into London
- May 13th: Mikel conducts interview with Sky Sports in which he claims to have been forced to sign a contract with United
- May 20th: Newsnight carry interview with Mikel, since proved to be a fake
- May 24th: Mikel joins up with Nigerian U-20s ahead of the World Youth Championships

Mikel Factfile
Full Name: John Obi Mikel
Date of Birth: 22 April 1987
Born: Plateau State, Nigeria
Former Clubs: Lyn Oslo, Norway; Plateau United, Nigeria; Pepsi Football Academy, Nigeria
Senior Games: Three
Goals: One
Internationals: Nigeria U-17s, U-20s
Recently included in the full Nigeria squad for the match against Rwanda

The Muppet

growler wrote:

can't see a reason for cfc to pay Man U anything, if they did its as good as admitting they went after him post contract signing and why let ud extort money from us if the lad was genuinely forced to sign.

The whole thing reeks.

It's common practice for one club to pay for players who are contracted to another club if they want them , or does that not apply to Chelski?


What does it reek of? He was a smiling happy player and commented on how happy he was to sign for united on the day he signed. What happen after that is conjecture but we have all see the allegations of death threats and under hand dealings etc.

Villain

The whole thing is still a mess by the looks of it, but I think if Chelsea are offering 10 million to United they should take it for 2 reasons:

1. It appears that the player doesn't want to play for United and forcing a player to come to a club he doesn't want to is not going to have a positive affect on a club already suffering from RVN's situation.

2. 10 Million could go a long way towards buying a proven experienced Midfielder which United imo badly need and it also would see closure on this saga.

growler

irish1 wrote:

The whole thing is still a mess by the looks of it, but I think if Chelsea are offering 10 million to United they should take it for 2 reasons:

1. It appears that the player doesn't want to play for United and forcing a player to come to a club he doesn't want to is not going to have a positive affect on a club already suffering from RVN's situation.

2. 10 Million could go a long way towards buying a proven experienced Midfielder which United imo badly need and it also would see closure on this saga.

paying $10 million for a player who has never even kicked a ball for the selling club must be a first surely ?

I know chelsea have money but this makes no business sense, if he signed for utd without pressure then let him stay there, giving $10 million to Utd is nuts ...as you say I will allow them to buy a better midfielder. If he was forced to sign for Utd then his contract is invalid, Utd should be censured for their illegal behaviour ( transfer ban ala Roma as Nelly suggested) and Chelsea can sign him without giving Utd a penny.

Necronomicon

growler wrote:

If he was forced to sign for Utd then his contract is invalid, Utd should be censured for their illegal behaviour ( transfer ban ala Roma as Nelly suggested) and Chelsea can sign him without giving Utd a penny.

But there's no evidence to back this up, it's just as likely he was forced to sign for Chelsea after he signed for United.

Headshot

The Muppet wrote:

What does it reek of? He was a smiling happy player and commented on how happy he was to sign for united on the day he signed. What happen after that is conjecture but we have all see the allegations of death threats and under hand dealings etc.

Chelski are up to there old tricks again [ala Ashley cole]

maybe the Russian Mafia got to mikel

im still unsure is there any truth in this story

but Mikel is great player,saw him play in the African Nations,very impressed

PHB

This story has no basis, ****tu has had his case thrown out, i.e. told to **** off because there was nothing, by the Norweigan court. The appeals process is ongoing, but an indenticial appeals process for two other players was just told to **** off, just like this one will be.

If he was forced to sign for Utd then his contract is invalid, Utd should be censured for their illegal behaviour ( transfer ban ala Roma as Nelly suggested) and Chelsea can sign him without giving Utd a penny.

Indeed, but United didn't do a thing wrong.

p.s. Now that it's clear that something dodgy has gone on, on the Chelsea side of things, Chelsea really ought to lay off. Mikel has admitted to things that CHelsea did, that Chelsea won't admit to doing, because it was illegal, but Mikel didn't know this. You think united will pass up the opportunity to try get 3 points deducted for the start of next season if they can?

Lyn, the club in charge , like two days ago said.

Lyn Oslo have refused to comment on reports linking John Obi Mikel with a move to Chelsea.

The highly-rated 19-year-old has impressed in Norway and is widely tipped for stardom.

Speculation in Mikel's homeland of Nigeria has suggested that Chelsea have reached an agreement with Manchester United over the long-running tug-of-war between the two clubs, but Oslo director Morgan Andersen has questioned whether there is any truth in the rumours.

He is more concerned with settling the long-running saga with Manchester United, who Mikel claims duped him into joining from Lyn.

Andersen would like to keep Mikel for as long as possible, but insists that his club is in the dark on the player's future.

"No comment," Andersen said on the Chelsea reports.

"This issue might be resolved in two days or two years. We are practically the only ones who have tried to solve this issue."

The only people who will decide where Mikel goes is United.

Can somebody tell me why United would want to sell a top class youth prospect to their biggest rivals in their league?
Why the **** wouldn't they just sell it to a club in Spain or Italy.

Anybody, can somebody give me a reason? Anything? Nope, then stop being silly

The guy is 18, and just in case you've forgotten, as everybody seems to have...

"I am pleased to get the chance to play for one of the biggest clubs in the world," explained Mikel.

"I'm looking forward to it. I am surprised that a big club like Manchester United wanted me.

After he signed,
heres a picture of him..

http://images.skysports.com/images/playerpics04_05/football/africa/mikel_johnobi_shirt.jpg



He wanted to play for United.
****tu got to him.
he didn't want to play for United.

Give him a month at Carrington, he'll be happy.
If not, we can sell him off to a foreign team.

Villain

Problem is PHB your assuming his influence will be positive at United, which is of course possible but it also possible that the kid really does want to play for currently the best team in the Premier League - Chelsea and would only serve as a negative influence, what if he goes missing again? I doubt many clubs will offer more than 10 million for him in that situation.

Also I'm not sure if the reports I read are true, but they stated his contract with United was for 10k a week, if he's that good Chelsea will prob offer him 4 or 5 times that.

PHB

The problem you don't realise is just how ****ing good he is.
He would be up there with Rooney in terms of talent, the guy is ****ing unreal.

He can be a distruptive influence all he likes at United, it's better than him destorying the world at Chelsea.
If he doesn't make it at United, we can sell him to a foreign club. We might not get as much money, but it will mean we won't be giving our weighest rival an increidlb eplayer. That's better than 10 million

Also I'm not sure if the reports I read are true, but they stated his contract with United was for 10k a week, if he's that good Chelsea will prob offer him 4 or 5 times that.

That's not a huge issue as United will match it. This isn't about money, it's about money for ****tu. United refuse to pay agent fees, Chelsea pay them, and then some.

Somebody, anybody, tell me why, United would sell him to Chelsea?

Villain

Well for the reports I have read he has huge potential but I don't think he can be compared with Rooney just yet.

The think the reason why United would sell him to Chelsea is simple, because the player says he was forced to sign for United and wants to play for Chelsea so instead of not having him playing for United and possibly getting nothing for him they could make 10 million from it. I agree selling to a team in another league would make more sense but that might not be as easy to achieve if at all possible with the way things are at the moment.

Also I wouldn't go making United out to whiter than white when it comes down to agents fee's I remember certain stories about there dealings in the past including ones including the managers son?

PHB

irish1 wrote:

Well for the reports I have read he has huge potential but I don't think he can be compared with Rooney just yet.

He can be compared to Messi, who can be compared to Rooney.

The think the reason why United would sell him to Chelsea is simple, because the player says he was forced to sign for United and wants to play for Chelsea so instead of not having him playing for United and possibly getting nothing for him they could make 10 million from it. I agree selling to a team in another league would make more sense but that might not be as easy to achieve if at all possible with the way things are at the moment.

He cost up 6 million. That'd be 4 million.
4 million for him to go to a team and potentially be a star?
Or let him rot in the reserves.

Take your pick.
I know what any sensible fan would pick.

Also I wouldn't go making United out to whiter than white when it comes down to agents fee's I remember certain stories about there dealings in the past including ones including the managers son?

Please show me where I did?
In this transfer, United have been perfect though.

Villain

PHB wrote:

Please show me where I did?
In this transfer, United have been perfect though.

PHB wrote:

United refuse to pay agent fees, Chelsea pay them, and then some

Also I don't think this player has any intentions of rotting in the reserves.

It would be interesting to see an interview with the player without any agents influence, but I think it could be a while before we do.

I'd actually like to see him playing for United and doing well, but in these times money talks and ...............

Necronomicon

PHB wrote:

He wanted to play for United.
****tu got to him.
he didn't want to play for United.

Agreed. I remember seeing that press conference. Not the whole thing live, but the highlights. First time I'd heard of him, he looked happy out.

PHB

Also I don't think this player has any intentions of rotting in the reserves.

Indeed, neither do I.
So what's he going to do if United say the following:

Play for our first team

OR

Rot in the reserves

including ones including the managers son?

That's not an agent fee, it's called stealing.

growler

the only allegation of wrong doing being made by the player is that he was duped into signing for Utd. , I don't know how you can be so sure Utd are squeaky on this, its far from certain.

And, Man Utd. don't pay agents fees ? a few seconds on google shows fees being paid by Utd for Rooney and Ferdinand. So not sure where you get that one from.

TheMonster

Growler - care to comment on the death threats he got after signing for United so?

What about the fact he looked happy to have signed for United ?

growler

TheMonster wrote:

Growler - care to comment on the death threats he got after signing for United so?

were these death threats (1st I heard of this btw) from chelsea staff , Mourinho himself or Roman ?

How do you know they happened at all ?



This thread could end up in Conspiracy Theories.

TheMonster

growler wrote:

were these death threats (1st I heard of this btw) from chelsea staff , Mourinho himself or Roman ?

How do you know they happened at all ?



This thread could end up in Conspiracy Theories.

He is afraid to say - but considering he had just signed for United and was then claiming he wanted to sign for Chelsea that it would be likely to deduce that it was somone that had a vested interest in him joining Chelsea

zAbbo

I'm asuming any ManU fan who thinks 10million is a good deal, hasn't seen him play.

In terms of talent, he's now number 1, as Messi has moved on from being 'potential'.

There are 2 players in World Football who are potentially world beaters such as Messi and Rooney, 1 is Giovanni Dos Santos (mexico and barcelona) and the other is Jon Obi Mikel.

Personally I wouln't like to see him go to either club, but certainly not Chelsea after what has happened

growler

TheMonster wrote:

He is afraid to say - but considering he had just signed for United and was then claiming he wanted to sign for Chelsea that it would be likely to deduce that it was somone that had a vested interest in him joining Chelsea

have you any credible links to any of this?

TheMonster

http://www.eurosport.com/football/premiership/2005-2006/sport_sto823982.shtml

FIFA will investigate claims that Manchester United and Chelsea target John Obi Mikel has received death threats over his proposed transfer. The 18-year-old Nigerian signed for the Manchester club in April 2005 but then caused a storm of controversy by claiming he had been forced into the move.

Mikel has since gone 'walkabout' during the dispute and has insisted that he wants to join Chelsea despite his apparent contractual obligations to United.

There are absolutely no suggestions that the death threats have anything to do with either club, with the Blues still keen to secure the services of the teenager

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=356906&cc=5739

Lyn's submission to FIFA also claims death threats were made to Mikel.

http://www.unitedrant.co.uk/archives/2006/02/dead_babies_1.html

One of the most important things that arises out of the JOM case from a welfare of young players point of view are the death threats that John Obi Mikel is reported to having received both in Nigeria and in London

http://www.soccerphile.com/soccerphile/news/ranter/john-obi-mikel.html

Shortly after the transfer to United was announced Mikel claimed to have received death threats from people "in London and Nigeria". In the days that have followed it seems that the pressure placed on the player may have come from groups who had a vested interest in the player.

growler

As Eurosport says there is "absolutely no suggestions that the death threats have anything to do with either club, " the only person suggesting that is you.

The rest is allegations. I sorry I don't take unitedrant as a credible unbiased source.

From ESPN : "Inside me I know where I want to go and I think Chelsea is the better place for me to be," Mikel told BBC Radio."