John Obi Mikel has revealed he played a key role in trying to get Victor Osimhen to Chelsea.
He Naples and the Nigerian striker was heavily linked with the goalless Premier League side for much of the summer transfer window but ended up joining Galatasaray on loan.
Given The role of Osimhen By ending Napoli's 33-year wait for a league title as Serie A's top scorer in the 2022/23 campaign, it seemed quite remarkable that he landed in the Turkish Super Lig, which is ranked the 10th best in Europe.
But as former Blue Mikel revealed, it wasn't for lack of trying on either side. Chelsea or Osimhen.
“I mean, there was a lot going on and I think it's an open secret that I was involved in the deal,” he said on Twitter. Obi One Podcast.
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“I was involved in making sure Victor came to the club. There was a lot of stuff going on, it was very interesting because I think I hear a lot of people saying this and that about Victor and how greedy he is and things like that.
“I just want to say categorically that I have known the boy since the first day he joined the national team, my relationship with him has been very, very good. And since then we have kept in touch and we have been friends.
“I know what he's capable of, and I just want to say that that's not true at all. Victor is not a greedy guy. He just wants to get what he deserves. And that's not a problem.
“He wasn’t asking for all that shit (£500,000 a week). I know what happened. I was there, in the middle of it all. So I can tell everyone that that’s definitely not true.
“He is not a greedy boy, he just wants to play football and get what he deserves, a player who knows his worth and asks to be paid what he is worth is not a problem.”
Osimhen was heavily linked with both Chelsea and Saudi Pro League side Al Ahli during the final days of the transfer window, and talkSPORT understands he has rejected the latter approach.
Meanwhile, personal terms are understood to have held things up for the Blues, something Mikel alluded to when suggesting the deal may not be over.
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“We were very close to closing the deal, but there were small problems that we couldn’t fix,” Mikel said. “Of course, we couldn’t do the medical even if the deal had been closed.
“I know exactly where we left off and exactly where we are with the deal, if eventually in January we have to pick it up again, I know exactly where we are and where we have to start.
“I was the guy who was in the middle of everything and there were a couple of days where I didn’t sleep.”
