Mikel says he had no regret signing for Chelsea over Man Utd

Former Chelsea star John Mikel Obi has revealed that his decision to join Chelsea ahead of Man Utd was one of the best decisions he made in his career.

The midfielder, who announced his retirement at the age of 35 a few days ago, was the subject of a bitter disagreement between Man Utd and Chelsea in 2005, before signing for the west London side the following year.

His decision to join Chelsea, having initially signed for the Manchester side from Norwegian club Lyn Oslo, turned out to be rewarding as he went on win titles including the Champions League, Europa League, two Premier Leagues, two League Cups and four FA Cups in his 11-year spell with the Blues before he left Stamford Bridge in 2017.

“I don’t regret any decision I made because I enjoyed everything I achieved at Chelsea – it’s the best decision I have ever made in my life,” Mikel told BBC Sport Africa.

“I signed a pre-contract for Manchester United when I was 17. If you are a kid and you see Sir Alex Ferguson right in front of you with the contract, of course you will be tempted.”