‘I kept saying no’ – John Obi Mikel details tense 20 minutes locked in room with Sir Alex Ferguson
Sir Alex Ferguson pleaded with John Obi Mikel to join Manchester United in a tense, privately held meeting. Mikel, who ended up representing Chelsea for 11 years, admitted it required a lot of willpower to reject the advances of the Red Devils as a young player. talkSPORTMikel recalled how he was finally given the green light to join Chelsea[/caption] The former midfielder had agreed a pre-contract deal with the Red Devils which would have seen him sign for the club after turning 18. However, after starring for Norwegian side Lyn whilst he waited to head to Old Trafford, Chelsea also agreed a deal for Mikel. The transfer debacle led to a drawn-out back-and-forth between the clubs over who would be signing the teenager. Eventually, FIFA handed the issue over to the FA, Mikel has revealed, which prompted Ferguson to get involved. Appearing on Drive with former Chelsea star Claude Makelele, the Nigerian explained: “FIFA was trying to sort it out. They couldn’t sort it out for about a year. I missed a year of football. So I was staying in an apartment in Fulham. “United didn’t want to let me go. Chelsea were not going to back down because they were saying, ‘He’s our player, we took him to Norway, we’ve been looking after him. He’s going to school in Norway playing football.’ “So the whole thing was just crazy. And then FIFA said, ‘Listen, we tried, we couldn’t sort it out. It’s down to the FA to sort it out.’ So then the FA got involved. “Then Fergie said, ‘Listen, give me 30 minutes with the kid, alone, in a boardroom office. I can convince him to still come to Manchester United.’ So he flew down to London. I was in a room with him, alone. “My agent was sitting outside. And he said, ‘Whatever he says to you in that meeting, just nod your head and say, nope, nope, nope.’ So I spent 20 minutes with him, locked in a room. “He was just saying, ‘What is the problem? Why don’t you want to come to Manchester United? Is it more money? I will give you more money. What do you need? What do you want? We need you at the club.’ Mikel agreed to join United before snubbing them for Chelsea, much to the ire of FergieGetty Mikel famously posed in a Red Devils shirt, before snubbing them for ChelseaAFP “I just kept saying no. I said, ‘Sorry, I just want to play for Chelsea.’” Ferguson ultimately green lit Mikel’s move to Stamford Bridge, accepting defeat in United’s bid to sign the promising youngster. He added: “He flew back to Manchester. And then two days later, we got an offer saying, ‘Okay, I’ll let the kid go, but you have to pay.’ “I think it was £12/13 million to Manchester United and £4million to my club in Norway. And that was how the whole thing was sorted.” Mikel would finally join the Blues aged 19 in 2006, going on to spend almost 11 years with the club. During that time, he made 372 appearances and scored six goals from midfield. The midfielder went on to make 372 appearances for the BluesGetty Mikel and Ferguson met at Wembley 18 years after the saga ended, and are now on good terms@obionepodcast The midfielder also won 11 trophies with Chelsea, including the Champions League and a pair of Premier League titles. Despite snubbing Ferguson and United, Mikel told talkSPORT in June that the legendary manager eventually forgave him. He admitted: “It’s so good for the boss to finally forgive me after such a long time. “He mentioned it [the saga] a couple of times [during his career], it was like, ‘You were the one that got away aren’t you?'” Meanwhile, Mikel would also win the Africa Cup of Nations with Nigeria during his career. By the time he retired aged 35 in 2022, he had won 89 caps for his country. Mikel also had spells in China, Turkey and Kuwait, as well as featuring for Middlesbrough and Stoke after leaving Chelsea in 2017.
Sir Alex Ferguson pleaded with John Obi Mikel to join Manchester United in a tense, privately held meeting.
Mikel, who ended up representing Chelsea for 11 years, admitted it required a lot of willpower to reject the advances of the Red Devils as a young player.
The former midfielder had agreed a pre-contract deal with the Red Devils which would have seen him sign for the club after turning 18.
However, after starring for Norwegian side Lyn whilst he waited to head to Old Trafford, Chelsea also agreed a deal for Mikel.
The transfer debacle led to a drawn-out back-and-forth between the clubs over who would be signing the teenager.
Eventually, FIFA handed the issue over to the FA, Mikel has revealed, which prompted Ferguson to get involved.
Appearing on Drive with former Chelsea star Claude Makelele, the Nigerian explained: “FIFA was trying to sort it out. They couldn’t sort it out for about a year. I missed a year of football. So I was staying in an apartment in Fulham.
“United didn’t want to let me go. Chelsea were not going to back down because they were saying, ‘He’s our player, we took him to Norway, we’ve been looking after him. He’s going to school in Norway playing football.’
“So the whole thing was just crazy. And then FIFA said, ‘Listen, we tried, we couldn’t sort it out. It’s down to the FA to sort it out.’ So then the FA got involved.
“Then Fergie said, ‘Listen, give me 30 minutes with the kid, alone, in a boardroom office. I can convince him to still come to Manchester United.’ So he flew down to London. I was in a room with him, alone.
“My agent was sitting outside. And he said, ‘Whatever he says to you in that meeting, just nod your head and say, nope, nope, nope.’ So I spent 20 minutes with him, locked in a room.
“He was just saying, ‘What is the problem? Why don’t you want to come to Manchester United? Is it more money? I will give you more money. What do you need? What do you want? We need you at the club.’
“I just kept saying no. I said, ‘Sorry, I just want to play for Chelsea.’”
Ferguson ultimately green lit Mikel’s move to Stamford Bridge, accepting defeat in United’s bid to sign the promising youngster.
He added: “He flew back to Manchester. And then two days later, we got an offer saying, ‘Okay, I’ll let the kid go, but you have to pay.’
“I think it was £12/13 million to Manchester United and £4million to my club in Norway. And that was how the whole thing was sorted.”
Mikel would finally join the Blues aged 19 in 2006, going on to spend almost 11 years with the club.
During that time, he made 372 appearances and scored six goals from midfield.
The midfielder also won 11 trophies with Chelsea, including the Champions League and a pair of Premier League titles.
Despite snubbing Ferguson and United, Mikel told talkSPORT in June that the legendary manager eventually forgave him.
He admitted: “It’s so good for the boss to finally forgive me after such a long time.
“He mentioned it [the saga] a couple of times [during his career], it was like, ‘You were the one that got away aren’t you?'”
Meanwhile, Mikel would also win the Africa Cup of Nations with Nigeria during his career.
By the time he retired aged 35 in 2022, he had won 89 caps for his country.
Mikel also had spells in China, Turkey and Kuwait, as well as featuring for Middlesbrough and Stoke after leaving Chelsea in 2017.
