Mikel Slams Chelsea Over Osimhen Exclusion

John Obi Mikel has slammed Chelsea’s decision to overlook Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen and instead sign 22-year-old Liam Delap for £30m for the Club World Cup.

Former Chelsea star John Obi Mikel has openly criticised the club’s decision to sign young striker Liam Delap from Ipswich Town for £30 million, instead of going after Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen.

Mikel, who played at Chelsea for many years, said he didn’t understand why the club would ignore a proven goal scorer like Osimhen, especially as they get ready for the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States.

“For me, the Club World Cup is another trophy to be won,” Mikel stated. “Of course, Chelsea compete to win. It’s £100m if you win it. That gives a massive advantage against other Premier League teams. Winning trophies is the culture of Chelsea Football Club. That’s what we do. That’s what we are.”

Although Delap scored 12 goals for Ipswich last season, the team was relegated. Mikel wondered if the 22-year-old could handle the pressure of playing for a top club like Chelsea.

“I like Liam Delap. He’s a good young striker who works his socks off. But is he a proven goalscorer in the Premier League? Can he do it at a big club like Chelsea? That’s the question,” Mikel said. “It’s about how the manager works with him and develops him.”

Mikel, who has always praised Osimhen’s talent, made it clear that the Napoli striker would have been a better option for Chelsea.

“With Victor Osimhen, if you want the finished article, someone who can come in straight away, get you goals, win you trophies, and put you in the top four, you have to pay the big bucks. That’s what the big clubs do,” he explained.

Even though some clubs may be hesitant due to Osimhen’s high wage demands, Mikel believes Chelsea should stay true to their identity as a club built to win now, not later.

“If you want somebody to evolve over the next two, three, four years, that’s fine. But Chelsea’s culture is winning straight away. If you want to win, you have to bring in a Victor Osimhen.”

Delap’s arrival has received mixed reactions from supporters. Mikel shared their concerns, noting that his performance at Ipswich may not be enough to prove he’s ready for Chelsea.

“Delap is a great young striker, but you have to wait and see if he’ll do it at a big club like Chelsea. Did he do it this season with Ipswich? Of course, they got relegated. So there’s so much to take in,” Mikel said.

“I hope he does well. But the fans and me, we would have liked to see a proven goalscorer, somebody who has done it in Italy, in Turkey, and could have come here and done it for the club straight away.”

When asked what Chelsea need to fix before the Club World Cup begins, Mikel was clear: the team must improve their finishing.

“Scoring goals. It is as easy as that. We were one of the teams creating the most chances, but we didn’t take them. Scoring goals is the number one priority,” he said.
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