Former Super Eagles captain, John Mikel Obi, has opened up about why the much-anticipated transfer of Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen to Chelsea did not go through. Speaking on his podcast, Mikel revealed that the deal was incredibly close to being finalized but was derailed by a few last-minute issues that couldn’t be resolved in time.

There were widespread rumors claiming that Osimhen’s refusal to join Chelsea was because he demanded a hefty salary of £500,000 per week. Mikel has now refuted those claims, emphasizing that Osimhen is not a greedy player. According to Mikel, Osimhen only wanted fair compensation for his talent and contribution, not an unreasonable or exaggerated amount.

In Mikel’s words, “Victor is not greedy. He wasn’t asking for half a million pounds or anything like that. He just wanted what he deserved.”

He explained that the negotiations were very advanced, and at one point, the deal was just hours away from being completed. However, there were slight issues at the last minute, including a lack of time to conduct the necessary medical exams before the transfer window closed. These delays made it impossible to finalize the deal.

Mikel concluded by stating that although the deal fell through at the last minute, there’s still hope that it could be revisited in the future, possibly in the January transfer window.

Fans of both Chelsea and Osimhen will be eager to see if the move can finally be completed in the coming months. As for now, Osimhen continues to impress with his performances, making him one of the hottest talents in world football.