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John Obi Mikel (Michael), the Nigerian wonderkid at the centre of a Chelsea/United/Lyn Oslo transfer tug of war, will finally join the Reds in the January transfer window.
John Obi Mikel (Michael), the Nigerian wonderkid at the centre of a Chelsea/United/Lyn Oslo transfer tug of war, will finally join the Reds in the January transfer window.
To re-cap; Mikel originally signed a contract with United on 28th April this year only to turn round ten days later and claim that he'd been forced into the deal. Accusations of bribery, kidnapping and death threats followed in a deal that Rant has been closely following for some time. Indeed the whole transfer descended into farce, largely at the hands of 'agent' John Shittu, who probably stood to gain financially if the player had joined Chelsea. The saga went to the FIFA Player Status Committee after United, with the aid of Mikel's officially licensed agent Daniel Fletcher, complained about the Chelsea/Shittu intervention.
Last month FIFA ruled that Mikel's contract with Lyn - the player's Norwegian club - is legally binding; a decision that has paved the way for the player's move to Old Trafford. It was Chelsea/Shittu's contention that the player was actually contracted to Norges Toppidrettsgymnas (TNG), a 'school' run by Runge "The Bung" Hague. FIFA threw that claim out and despite some reports that the sport's governing body might allow the player to choose his own destiny it now seems that the original contracts sign by Mikel, Lyn and United have been upheld by FIFA as legal and binding.
Morgan Anderson, Lyn Oslo's Sporting Director, may have let the decision slip this week when he said:
"I can confirm that I have been in touch with Manchester United. They want Mikel after the New Year, as it is stipulated in the contract, but now he shall fulfil the season with us. We are happy for that.
"In any case, the fight is over on my part. I am prepared for a fair and honourable relationship."
If the rumours are to be proved true we could well see Mikel at Old Trafford in January. This is an excellent result for United and his arrival - if it actually happens - will provide the squad with a timely boost in the New Year. Perhaps Sir Alex was confident of this result when he failed to sign a new central midfielder this summer?
How fans will take to Mikel is a moot point. A number of boards have seen critical messages posted about Mikel but Rant urges caution on this front. Daniel Fletcher, in Rant's exclusive full length interview with the agent, contended that Mikel has always wanted to join United while his entourage pushed for a move to moneybags Chelski.
Yet it could all change again - not least because FIFA have yet to publish a full ruling. Until that ruling comes expect Chelsea's money to be working full time in the background to try and bring the player to Stamford Bridge.
Moreover the player is yet to qualify for a full work permit under the Home Office system. Mikel needs to have taken part in at least 75% of his country's international matches over the last two years to qualify. United have three routes around the problem - send him off to Sporting Lisbon until he qualifies, find a way for Mikel to qualify for an EU passport or appeal under the 'Exceptional Talent' clause. The latter is likely to be the case and one which should prove successful. Indeed Mikel was the outstanding player at the recent FIFA World Youth Championships in Holland and there are many inferior overseas players already in the Premiership.
Mikel's agent was again in the media, full of bluster, after Anderson's comments. Shittu by name, Shittu by nature said:
"The only thing I can say to you is he never said he's going to Manchester United. He never said that to anybody so if Lyn are saying that to you, I don't know where they got that from.
"When we spoke yesterday over dinner, he reiterated the same thing - he doesn't want to go to Manchester United. He has to decide, it's not for me to decide for him. I'm just there for him as his agent.
"I believe things will be sorted very soon. Maybe some of the parties involved want to prolong it but we're not interested in that; we're only interested in the player.
"The player's reiterated so many times that he doesn't want to join Manchester United. I, personally, want to make sure what he wants is what happens."
The words of a desperate man? Welcome to Old Trafford Obi.