Nigerian footballer John Obi Mikel has finally been forgiven by Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson, nearly 20 years after a dramatic transfer saga, the ex Super Eagles man revealed as gathered by Nigeriasoccernet.com.
In 2005, a young Mikel signed for Manchester United, even posing in their kit at a press conference. However, a last-minute intervention from Chelsea, then managed by Jose Mourinho, saw him join the Blues instead. To settle the dispute, Chelsea paid a £12 million fee to United.
Mikel previously described feeling terrified upon seeing Ferguson's reaction to the switch. The two even shared an awkward encounter years later, with Ferguson giving him a silent "death stare."
However, a recent meeting at the Champions League final seems to have mended fences. Mikel, now 37, spoke on talkSPORT, revealing Ferguson's forgiveness: "It's great the boss finally forgave me. He mentioned it a couple of times jokingly, like 'you were the one who got away, weren't you?'"
Despite the initial drama, Mikel enjoyed a successful career at Chelsea, winning numerous trophies including the Champions League, Premier League titles, and FA Cups.
By Olaleye Oluwadamilola