Posted by The Punch on
ANOTHER chapter was opened in the transfer saga of Super Eagles midfielder John Mikel Obi over the weekend as the player was reported to have written FIFA asking that the four years contract he claimed he was forced to sign with Manchester United be cancelled.
ANOTHER chapter was opened in the transfer saga of Super Eagles midfielder John Mikel Obi over the weekend as the player was reported to have written FIFA asking that the four years contract he claimed he was forced to sign with Manchester United be cancelled.
Mikel who was injured over the weekend in the game involving his club, Lyn against Odd Greenland was quoted by two European newspapers asking FIFA to cancel his contract with the Reds.
The 18-year-old had been at the centre of an acrimonious tug-of-war between United and Chelsea since May. The player was ordered back to FC Lyn by FIFA after claiming he was pressured into signing for United as against his choice of Chelsea.
Last week Lyn claimed the player will be moving to Old Trafford in January.
But the News Of The World and The Mail over the weekend claimed the player had written to FIFA asking that he be extricated from the United deal.
Mikel played well during his first match for Oslo club Lyn at the weekend, though they eventually lost to Odd Grenland and that probably puts them out of the championship race.
He was lacklustre in the second half before he was injured. Lyn's captain, Tommy Berntsen, had claimed earlier over the weekend that Mikel was in a good shape as he was before he abruptly left Lyn and Oslo last spring, in the midst of a transfer dispute involving Manchester United and Chelsea.
He was pretty much out of action for the next several months, but observers say his training sessions last week with Lyn showed him to be just as strong, just as fast and just as controlled as he was before he disappeared.
He was put into action as soon as Lyn faced off against Odd Grenland of Telemark on Sunday afternoon, on home turf at Oslo's Ullevaal Stadium. But it didn't help.
Lyn lost the match 1-2, its first loss at Ullevaal in more than a year. Spectators claimed Mikel showed top talent during the first half, but a local newspaper wrote that both he and his teammates "screwed off the 'on' switch" during the second half, and Odd Grenland made the most of that.
Mikel also suffered a stubbed and bloodied toe during the match. "I was kicked, and now it's swollen," he said later. "I don't know if I can play the next match, but I hope so."
Lyn coach Henning Berg said Mikel "was good for as long as he managed. Even though he faded, I chose to keep him on the field. He's among the world's best 18-year-olds, and a player of his caliber can suddenly come forward with a little extra.".
In press briefing later, Mikel declined to talk about his next move nor would he talk about what he was doing this past summer. He also would not answer any questions about whether he may eventually play for Manchester United or Chelsea.
A much-hyped meeting with reporters was characterised as a bluff by those that attended. Lyn coach Henning Berg was on hand for the meeting, and stressed that Mikel would only talk about Lyn and the coming season.
"He doesn't want to talk about his past or his future," Berg said. "We have to respect that an 18-year-old wants to wait to talk about that, until he's ready to."
Mikel repeated that he was happy to be back in Norway and at Lyn. When asked what kind of shape he was in, he answered: "You know, I have done what I like to do, and that's to play football."
After five minutes in front of the microphones it was all over.