“He was disappointed” – Mikel Obi reveals why Osimhen’s move to Chelsea never worked out

Former Chelsea player John Obi Mikel provides an explanation as to why fellow Nigerian, Victor Osimhen couldn’t see a summer transfer to Stamford Bridge fall through. Osimhen was heading out the door at Serie A team Napoli until heavyweights of the Premier League in west London made a late move for him.

After witnessing Al-Ahli’s €80 million (£68 million/$88 million) bid approved, the 25-year-old decline a lucrative transfer to the Saudi Pro League. He agreed to a season-long loan at Turkish club Galatasaray instead. The Premier League giants in west London made a late move for Osimhen as he moved towards the exits at Serie A side Napoli.

Mikel said: “I know what Victor wanted. I know what the club offered him. I know where we got to. We finally got to a compromise-both sides had to compromise. It was just some little things here and there, paperwork, medical, and a few issues.

“We just couldn’t get over the line and we didn’t have much time. Both sides really played their part in terms of getting the deal done. I commend Chelsea for that because I can see their ambition of where they want to take this club now and also on Victor’s side how much he really wanted to come to the club.

“He was disappointed it didn’t happen. I spoke to him when the transfer window shut. I gave him a call, we spent 20 minutes talking. I said, ‘listen, I’m always here for you. You need to keep your head down. You need to keep working hard, keep training. I know it’s not the best situation right now but I know you’re strong’.

“You know, Victor’s a strong character, he’s a bit like Didier Drogba and Diego Costa. That’s something we’re missing at the club. Strikers who have that edge, who have that bite who can intimidate defenders and Victor definitely has that.”

Mikel added on the issue of rekindling interest in the next window: “Definitely there are no issues. I think if we have to pick this back up again like I said, whenever it is, January or next summer, we know where we are. We know where we’ve stopped. It’s just little details that need to be finalized and the deal will be done.

“So for me, the club is in a very happy place with Victor and Victor is in a very happy place with the club. I want to make sure, I’m not going to rest. I want to make sure I get him to the club because I know, not because he’s my friend, or he’s like my younger brother or he’s Nigerian. No, he is one of the best strikers in the world right now, he’s Africa’s best player.”

“Victor has come under a lot of criticism about this because people don’t know the ins and outs of what happened. You need to know that before you criticize the kid. Victor really, really wanted to come to the club. He had to compromise a lot to come to the middle because we did reach an agreement in terms of the salary.

“Like I said, if we have to pick it back up again, if there is interest come January, Chelsea still want Victor and Victor still wants to come to Chelsea, we know exactly where we are. It’s not a matter of it being difficult, we’re just going to get the deal done.”

Reports claim Osimhen has a release clause in his deal at Galatasaray that can be triggered by as many as 10 leading European clubs in the January transfer window. Chelsea are one of those clubs though they remain in the market for another proven No.9.