John Obi Mikel transferred from Lyn Oslo to Chelsea in June 2006 for £16 million after a highly contentious dispute with Manchester United. He arrived at 19 with limited senior experience and made his Chelsea debut in 2006. His first Premier League start at Reading ended with a sending-off after two yellow cards. Early lapses included lateness to meetings and youthful mistakes. Jose Mourinho imposed punishments, fines and a temporary spell in the academy before returning him to the first team. Mikel adapted to Chelsea's professional culture among leaders like John Terry and Didier Drogba and featured in the first FA Cup final at the new Wembley.
Few transfers in Premier League history were as controversial as John Obi Mikel's switch from Norwegian side Lyn Oslo to Chelsea in 2006. The Nigerian teenager was one of football's hottest properties and in April 2005, Manchester United announced they had sealed a deal to land the teenager, only for Chelsea to issue a counter claim, insisting that they had already struck an agreement with Mikel's representatives.
On my first Premier League start at Reading, I got sent off for two stupid yellow cards. Back then, I was young and naive. I made mistakes, I'd be late for meetings. I had to learn. Jose Mourinho celebrated the Premier League title at the end of his first season with Chelsea (Image credit: Alamy) Mourinho had to put me in my place very quickly, with lots of punishments, lots of fines.
He sent me to the academy for a couple of weeks or a month, then brought me back when I was ready to know I was in the big boys' league. This was Chelsea Football Club, I wasn't in Nigeria or at Lyn Oslo any more. I had to learn the culture of the football club the likes of John Terry, Didier Drogba and Mourinho would let you know exactly where you were.
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