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John Mikel Obi joined Chelsea as a teenager and left an impression on the senior members of the squad.
French football legend Marseille Desailly has narrated the first impression they had of a teenage Mikel Obi when he arrived at Chelsea for trials.
The 38-year-old retired Super Eagles star signed for Chelsea as a 19-year-old in 2006, after Desailly had already left the club. However, when he was 16, he had a trial at the club, when the French World Cup winner was captain.
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‘Always willing to fight’ - Mikel Obi hails former Chelsea star after UCL performance for Atletico Madrid
Former Super Eagles star John Mikel Obi has hailed ex-Chelsea midfielder following his impressive performance for Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.
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12:34 - 20.09.2024
‘I was lucky enough’ - Mikel Obi opens up on what it felt like to play among Chelsea legends
Ex-Chelsea star John Mikel Obi has revealed how he felt playing alongside legends after he joined the Blues.
What Desailly said
The pair were on Bein Sport's broadcast of the Champions League, and after the panel discussed Yamal, Barcelona's 17-year-old teenage sensation, Mikel, who was a prodigy in his own right, was referenced.
Mikel was one of the brightest talents coming out of Africa in the early 2000s, and before he finished behind Messi for the silver ball at the 2005 Youth Championships, he had caught the attention of Chelsea's scouts following his performance at the U-17 World Cup in 2003.
He had a trial with the club in the summer of 2004, under the tutelage of Jose Mourinho and he made such an impression that the club hijacked the deal between the Nigerian and Manchester United to bring him to Stamford Bridge.
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Desailly, now 56, was the club's captain at the time, and on the broadcast, he detailed how astonished they were by Mikel’s talents.
“When he came, so he was coming for some kind of trial, you know, for 2 to 3 weeks and the first week he was magic,” the former AC Milan defender said.
You know, technically, you know, during the training session, you know, top level, we were even worried. Is he on the drug or is he because it was incredible?
“We say, Let's see, for the second week, you know, and the second week, same thing capable of playing, handling the ball 1v1, 2v2. He was capable every time to get out of any situation.
“So we say, Wow, this young player is going to bring the football level to, you know, to very, very high. So we were really impressed.
Mikel went on to have a successful career with Chelsea. He spent 11 incredible seasons at the club, from 2006 to 2017, winning numerous titles, including two Premier League titles, four FA Cups, and the 2011-2012 Champions League.
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