Former Super Eagles captain and Chelsea midfielder, John Mikel Obi, has revealed why he snubbed Manchester United for Chelsea in 2006 during a video interview with TNT Sports.
In 2006, after the U-17 FIFA World Cup, Mikel Obi was considered one of the most promising talents in football, alongside Lionel Messi. He was courted by two of the biggest English clubs at the time—Manchester United and Chelsea—but ultimately chose Chelsea, even though Manchester United had already unveiled him with jersey No. 21.
The 38-year-old recounted that Manchester United’s negligence cost them the opportunity to sign him, and Chelsea, upon realizing this, took advantage:
“My first trial was with Manchester United after my U-17 tournament in the 2005/06 season. Manchester United offered to keep me at the club for three months and subsequently asked me to go home after the three months, with the plan for me to return and sign a professional contract when I turned 18.
So, I went home, and Chelsea, upon realizing I was in Nigeria, sent an agent to convince me to join their club. I was offered a trial at Chelsea. They liked me and wanted me to sign.
Wanting to avoid the same mistake Manchester United made by sending me home after trials, Chelsea instead sent me to Oslo, Norway. As soon as I turned 18, they planned to sign me.
When I turned 18, Manchester United came back to finalize the deal, and everything seemed to be going smoothly—I had even signed for the Red Devils. However, Chelsea, realizing this, were not pleased and took swift action, claiming they had already invested in me and trained me.
FIFA and a few top football personalities couldn’t resolve the dispute. But I decided within myself to join Chelsea because it was a club with ambition and a young manager, José Mourinho. I wanted to be part of that history. Meanwhile, Manchester United had already made their history.
Despite Sir Alex Ferguson requesting a private meeting with me in 2006, which lasted 30 minutes, I held on to my vision of making history with Chelsea, which is why I chose them over Manchester United.”
After he left Chelsea in 2017, having won ten trophies, including two Premier League titles and one Champions League, he played just four more years in Saudi Arabia and the English Championship before hanging up his boots in 2021.
