By Wale Mustapha
Former Super Eagles captain, John Obi Mikel, remains optimistic that Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen will join Chelsea in the upcoming transfer window.
Osimhen, 26, was reportedly close to sealing a move to Stamford Bridge last summer, but negotiations collapsed due to wage-related disagreements.
Despite the failed deal, the Napoli star has continued to be linked with the West London club as they search for a top-tier striker.
Chelsea, alongside Manchester United and several Saudi Arabian clubs, are said to be monitoring Osimhen’s situation ahead of the summer market.
Mikel, who spent over a decade with the Blues, expressed his desire to see his compatriot don the Chelsea shirt and hinted that most of the groundwork for a deal had already been done.
“He [Osimhen] wants to play for Chelsea. I hope he’ll be playing his football next season somewhere in the Premier League. I hope he comes,” Mikel told beIN Sports.
“I know where we stopped with the contract. I know where we are. It’s an easy fix because we’ve done all the hard work last summer.”
Osimhen has enjoyed a productive season despite speculation over his future and remains one of the most sought-after forwards in world football.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
