Chelsea Football Club have posted a video on their official website to celebrate the 10 years stay of the captain of the Super Eagles of Nigeria John Obi Mikel with the club.
Mikel now 29 joined the club as a 19 year old from Lyn Oslo of Norway after a protracted transfer battle with Manchester United in the summer of 2006.
Few days after Mikel turned 18 Chelsea’s rival Manchester United announced a deal has been reached to sign Mikel from Lyn Oslo but Chelsea later issued a counter claim suggesting that they already had an agreement with Mikel and his agents, but Lyn denied this claim.
However the issue was resolved on the 2nd of June 2006 with Manchester United agreeing to terminate their option agreement with Mikel after Chelsea agreed to pay United £12 million and Mikel was subsequently granted a work permit on the 19 of July 2006.
Since then he has gone on to make over 251 appearances for the first team in the English Premier League winning two Premier League titles in the process and despite the constant changing of coaches and continued investments in new players he has survived the turmoil at the bridge.
In his ten years stay with Chelsea he has won all available club trophy including the Europa League and the prestigious UEFA Champions League with the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA club World Cup the only trophy he is yet to win with the Blues.
However they are doubts he would leave the club soon as he is yet to commit himself to a new deal with his current contract set to run out in 24 months time.
*Daniel Martins
