John Obi Mikel turned down £53,000 in a suitcase at the age of 15 as Europe’s biggest clubs scrapped for his signature
It sparked a major transfer tussle between Premier League giants Manchester United and Chelsea
JOHN OBI MIKEL turned down $70,000 (£53,000) in a suitcase when he was just 15-years-old.
The schoolboy was involved in one of the craziest transfer tussles in history when he was in the middle of a tug-of-war between Manchester United and Chelsea.
Scouts from Arsenal, Real Madrid and Barcelona were all paying a close eye on the youngster who had starred for Nigeria at the Under-17 World Cup.
Speaking exclusively to Sun Sport, the 30-year-old recalled the time when an agent tried to steal a march on his rivals by opening a suitcase crammed with cash in front of him.
He said: "I had agents promising me everything.
“One approached me in the hotel with a briefcase full of cash.
“I can’t remember what club he claimed to represent — but I do remember the briefcase.
“It was crammed with $70,000 and he offered me that to sign some contract before adding: ‘Sign here and you’ll get a lot more’.
JOHN OBI MIKHELL Former Chelsea star John Obi Mikel reveals all about the incredible transfer battle between Manchester United and the Blues
“I was tempted. I’d never seen so much money but I told the Nigerian FA secretary who was looking after me.
“He told me to ignore this agent but promised I would join the best club. After the tournament I went home to my family and then saw the secretary again in Abuja.
“That’s when he told me: ‘You’re going to United. They want you and you’re leaving tomorrow’.
“My dad was so happy but mum was crying because I was moving abroad at such a young age.”
In bizarre circumstances, Mikel ended up signing for league rivals Chelsea when he became of the most decorated players in the club's history.
