The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Mikel

  • Galatasaray wants Mikel

    Galatasaray wants Mikel

    Turkish champions Galatasaray has opened talks with Chelsea for Nigeria midfielder Mikel Obi, MTNFootball.com reports.

    Galatasaray sporting director Bulent Tulun is currently in London talking with the top hierarchy of the London club on the acquisition of Mikel.

    The deal is being brokered by Nigeria FIFA agent Babawo Mohammed and Hasan Egilmez and if it goes through, Mikel Obi will join up with his former Chelsea team mate and friend Didier Drogba.

    A source in Turkey told MTNFootball.com that Galatasaray officials want the Nigerian to join their squad.

    “As I speak to you, Galatasaray sporting director Tulun is in London to discuss on signing Mikel Obi from Chelsea this summer, we want to sort out with his club first before we will open discussions with the player,” the source told MTNFootball.com

    One of the agents facilitating the transfer Babawo Mohammed further confirmed Galatasaray’s interest in the Chelsea star to MTNFootball.com

    “Galatasaray officials have shown interest to sign Mikel and I have been informed that they are in London talking with Chelsea about the deal,” Babawo Mohammed told MTNFootball.com

    Galatasaray will have to splash a fortune on Mikel because he has a contract with Chelsea till June 2017.

    The Turkish champions will play in UEFA Champions League next season after retaining the Turkey league ahead of city rivals Fenerbache.

    .

     

  • Mikel promises: Eagles won’t underrate Kenya

    Mikel promises: Eagles won’t underrate Kenya

    Nigerian superstar John Obi Mikel has put his focus on the crucial Word Cup qualifier against Kenya.

    Obi Mikel who arrived in Nairobi on Monday evening looked fresh and jovial when he met the rest of the Nigerian team who had not seen him.

    He was optimistic that the team would get good results in Nairobi but at the same time urged caution saying the Harambee Stars were not pushovers.

    “I am glad to be in Kenya but it is not for holiday but for a very important game against Kenya who cannot be underrated.”

    “It will not be an easy game but we are determined to get positive results because the game will determine our destiny because after being crowned African champions every player in the team is yearning to qualify for the World Cup,” Obi Mikel told supersport.com.

  • ‘Mikel, Moses can take extra week of holdays’

    ‘Mikel, Moses can take extra week of holdays’

    Incoming Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho is happy for ‘Super Eagles duo of John Mikel Obi, Victor Moses and their other Blues mates to have an extra week off this summer.

    The Sun says Blues players are due back for pre-season training at the start of July.

    But their incoming boss thinks that is too soon, especially with two gruelling pre-season tours lined up.

    So Mourinho is trying to push their return back to July 7.

    The later start still gives the Europa League winners 10 days to get in shape for their Far East trip.

  • Mikel ‘may feature’ in Kenya, Namibia ties

    Mikel ‘may feature’ in Kenya, Namibia ties

    There is a possibility that Super Eagles midfielder, Mikel Obi, will feature in next month World Cup qualifiers against Kenya and Namibia.

    The African champions will confront their group B opponents in crucial 2014 World Cup qualifiers in Nairobi and Windhoek next month. The team will play the Kenyan Harambee Stars on June 5 in Nairobi, before squaring up with the Brave Warriors of Namibia on June 12 in Windhoek.

    Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, had earlier in the week expressed doubt over the availability of the Chelsea midfielder for the team busy schedule in June.

    “Our agreement before with Chelsea was for them to drop off both Mikel and Victor Moses after their own game. But now he is pursuing a visa to Brazil. We’re also not sure about his condition, if he is fit or not. And so, Mikel might not be there with us,” Keshi was quoted as saying from the Eagles training camp in Germany.

    However, Mikel played the full 90 minutes in Chelsea 4-3 defeat to their Premier League rivals Manchester City in United States on Thursday.

    The match was his first appearance for the Europa League Cup winners since he cropped a hip injury during the closing stages of 2012/2013 season.

    He was paired in central midfield by Chelsea U-18 player, Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

     

  • Mikel may not make World Cup qualifiers – Keshi

    Mikel may not make World Cup qualifiers – Keshi

    … Rules out replacements for injured players

    Super Eagles Head Coach, Stephen Keshi, has expressed doubt about the availability of John Mikel Obi for the two World Cup qualifiers against Kenya and Namibia in June.

    Speaking exclusively with The Nationsport from Nuremberg, Germany, on Thursday, the “Big Boss” said although the Chelsea midfielder has asked to be excused for the friendly match against Mexico in the United States, he would stay back in England to process his visa to Brazil.

    Nigeria will participate in the FIFA Confederations Cup starting June 15 in Brazil.

    “Mikel has asked that he be excused for the friendly match against Mexico, but he would travel with his team for their pre season tour. But he would later return back to England to process his Brazilian visa. The implication of that is that he may not be available for the two World Cup qualifiers against Kenya and Namibia. So we would have to make do with the players in camp.”

    On Victor Moses, the former International said, “Victor sent me a text message that he would not be available until July 6 when he is expected to begin training. He said that he played the final phases of Chelsea’s league matches with recurring injury, and would need to use this period to treat it properly. We have to excuse him, because this is his career, and he needs to be fit to play for his club and the country. We are not thinking of replacing any of the injured players,” Keshi said.

    The former Togo and Mali National team coach expressed optimism that the players in camp would surely put smiles on the faces of all Nigerians in the forthcoming matches.

     

  • Mikel to return for Kenya clash

    Mikel to return for Kenya clash

    John Obi Mikel will make a return to Nigeria squad for the World Cup qualifier against Kenya on June 5, after he pulled out of Super Eagles friendly against Mexico.

    Nigeria will play an international friendly with Mexico on May 31 in the United States, and the midfielder has requested coach Stephen Keshi to leave him out on health reasons.

    “Midfielder Obi Mikel had asked to be excused from the African champions’ friendly against Mexico in Houston on May 31, saying he wanted to rest after a long season in England, but would be available for the matches in June,” team coordinator Emmanuel Attah was on Wednesday quoted as saying by fourfourtwo.com from Germany, where the team is currently camping.

    His Chelsea team-mate Victor Moses would also miss the friendly against Mexico, and the World Cup qualifiers in Kenya and Namibia on June 5 and June 12 plus the Confederations Cup in Brazil from June 15-30 as the forward sought treatment on recurring hamstring and ankle injuries.

    Nigeria top African qualifying Group F for next year’s World Cup after three games, ahead of Malawi on goals scored.

  • Mikel admits Chelsea have missed Drogba

    Mikel admits Chelsea have missed Drogba

    Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel admits they’ve missed the influence of Didier Drogba this season.

    Obi Mikel told the London Evening Standard: “There is no Didier this year. He is the man and someone who came up with the goods for us in the big games. When we played the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City I walked on to the pitch at Wembley, I was looking for Didier and I couldn’t find him. He was the one that always scored the goals.

    “We had a very good team last year. That’s why we won the Champions League. There was no luck, we played for each other.

    “But I think now we have a great, young team and we are moving in the right direction.”

  • Chelsea are Champs! Mikel, Moses lift Europa League

    Chelsea are Champs! Mikel, Moses lift Europa League

    Nigeria’s duo of John Obi Mikel and Victor Moses despite spending all 90 moniutes on the subs bench in Wednesday’s Europa League final were crowed Europa League champions after an injury-time goal from Branislav Ivanovic guaranteed the Stamford Bridge outfit with a 2-1 win over Benfica in Amsterdam Arena.

    The Portuguese side dominated much of the opening 45 minutes, refusing to allow Chelsea on the ball while creating plenty of chances in front of goal.

    Oscar Cardozo put an early header over the crossbar before Nicolas Gaitan flashed his shot high and wide. Rodrigo then fluffed his lines from close range by slipping on the slick playing surface as Benfica overwhelmed their opponents in all areas of the pitch.

    Chelsea showed some signs of life midway through the half and they managed their first attempt on goal with 28 minutes played as Oscar’s long-range effort was held at the second attempt by goalkeeper Artur.

    Despite struggling to get into the match, a final opportunity of the half fell the way of Chelsea as Frank Lampard’s swerving drive was tipped over the crossbar by Artur.

    Benfica started the second half where they left off in the first and they had a goal disallowed on 52 minutes when Cardozo was ruled offside by the narrowest of margins when he headed in Gaitan’s cross.

    The deadlock was broken against the run of play on the hour as Fernando Torres burst past Luisao before rounding Artur to slot into an empty net.

    However, the Portuguese side were level from the penalty spot seven minutes later through Cardozo following Cesar Azpilicueta’s handball.

    Chelsea were appealing for a penalty of their own on 76 minutes when Torres was brought down by Luisao, but the referee waved away the appeals.

    As the match became more stretched late on, Cardozo came close to putting Benfica ahead with nine minutes of normal time left, but his looping volley was kept out by the attentive Cech.

    The game looked to be heading for extra time before Ivanovic got on the end of Juan Mata’s corner to see his header back across goal find the net.

  • Mikel fit for Europa League final

    Mikel fit for Europa League final

     

    Mikel Obi said he has regained full fitness from hip injury ahead of Wednesday’s Europa League final.

    Last season’s UEFA Champions League winners Chelsea face Portuguese giants Benfica on Wednesday night in this season’s Europa League final at the Amsterdam Arena.

    “It is not always good feeling when one is out of action but I am good now. I returned to full training on Friday,” Mikel informed MTNFootball.com

    “I am set for Europa league final and I am looking forward to it as well as the last game of the season.”

    Mikel last featured for Chelsea in a 2-0 win over Swansea on April 28.

    Meanwhile, Victor Moses passed a late fitness test to start for Chelsea in the all-important clash with Aston Villa on Saturday, which ended 2-1 at Villa Park in favour of Chelsea courtesy of a Frank Lampard brace.

    Moses had picked up a knock in a 2-2 draw at home with London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

     

  • MIKEL CONFESSES ON TWITTER: I wished I had played for Sir Alex

    MIKEL CONFESSES ON TWITTER: I wished I had played for Sir Alex

    SUPER Eagles midfielder, John Mikel Obi, has confessed that he had wished he played for retiring Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson.

    Recall Mikel was a subject of a transfer tussle between Chelsea and Man United after the Red Devils announced that it had struck a deal with the Norwegian club Lyn Oslo to sign the player.

    United also claimed that they had done a deal directly with the teen Nigerian and that he had signed a contract to join them. Mikel’s agents, John Shittu was bypassed as the club persuaded the youngster to sign a 4-year contract without representation. Lyn Oslo allegedly sent a fax to his agents abroad, claiming their services were no longer required by Mikel.

    Mikel who took to his Twitter page on Thursday to pay tribute to the man who redefined the landscape of British football as he won 49 trophies for the Red Devils with 27years in charge.

    @MikelObi_12: “SAF !! You’re forever a Legend !!wish I worked with you even only 4 a week !!!

    Meanwhile, Chelsea boss Rafael Benitez informed that Mikel may be fit to play this weekend.

    “Mikel who has been out for about two weeks with a hip injury was in training, which is good news,” explained the Spaniard.

    However there was injury concerns over Victor Moses, who hobbled off during Chelsea’s open training session on Thursday as the Blues prepare for Aston Villa.

    “Victor Moses was limping a little bit,” Benitez added.