Former Chelsea star John Obi Mikel has revealed the disappointment faced by his Nigerian friend Victor Osimhen.
Chelsea Made a Late Move for Osimhen
The Premier League giant from West London, Chelsea, made a late move for Osimhen, who wants to leave Serie A club Napoli. However, the 25-year-old player agreed to a one-season loan with Galatasaray after accepting Al-Ahli’s €80 million (£68 million/$88 million) offer.
WHAT DID MIKEL SAY?
Former Chelsea midfielder Mikel shared on The Obi One Podcast why Osimhen did not move to England. Meanwhile, there is still potential for a deal to be made in January. Mikel commented on the situation, saying: “I know what Victor wanted, I know what Chelsea offered him, and I know where we ended up. In the end, we reached a compromise, both sides had to make concessions. There were a few little things here and there – paperwork, medical checks, and some issues we couldn’t get over the line. We didn’t have much time. Both sides did what they could to get the deal done. I appreciate Chelsea in this regard because I can see both their ambition in where they want to take the club and how much Victor wanted to come to the team.”
“This not happening disappointed Osimhen. When the transfer window closed, I talked to him; I called him, and we spoke for 20 minutes. I told him, ‘Look, I’m always here for you; you need to keep your head up, keep working hard, keep training. I know things aren’t great right now, but I know you’re strong.’ Victor is a strong character, a bit like Didier Drogba and Diego Costa, and that is something we miss at the club—aggressive forwards who can intimidate defenders, and Victor definitely has that quality.”
‘PEOPLE DON’T KNOW THE WHOLE STORY’
Mikel also mentioned that interest could reignite in the next transfer window in the winter: “There’s definitely no problem. As I said, if we need to revisit this issue in January or next summer, we know where we stand. There are just a few minor details to finalize, and the deal will happen. For me, the club is very happy with Victor, and Victor is in a very good place with the club. He is currently one of the best strikers in the world, the best player in Africa. I know what he can bring to the club, and I’m sure many Chelsea fans know what Victor can bring to the club.”
“Victor has faced a lot of criticism because people don’t know the whole story. Before criticizing the kid, you need to understand this. Victor really wanted to come to the club and had to make many concessions for it. We reached an agreement on his salary and what he wanted; there were just a few minor details that we couldn’t overcome.”
NOTABLE CLAUSE IN THE CONTRACT
It is said that Osimhen’s contract at Galatasaray includes a release clause that can be triggered by 10 top European clubs during the January transfer window, and Chelsea is one of them.
