BOITUMELO RANTAO
VETERAN midfielder and former Super Eagles stalwart John Obi Mikel has joined Championship side Stoke City from Turkish side Trabzonspor.
Mikel, now 33 years old, was a free agent after terminating his contract with Trabzonspor by mutual consent. He has signed a two-year deal with Stoke.
Mikel made 249 Premier League appearances for Chelsea in an 11-year spell, which ended when he left Stamford Bridge in 2017.He won the Champions League and Europa League, two Premier Leagues, three FA Cups and the League Cup during his time with the London club.
Stoke boss Michael O’Neill said: “I was really impressed with him when we met for the first time and he outlined what he wants from the next phase of his career.
“We spent four hours talking and he made it clear he wants to get back into the Premier League and finish his career there and hopefully he can do that with Stoke City.”
Mikel won 89 caps for Nigeria, playing in two World Cups and helping the Super Eagles win the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, before announcing his retirement from the Super Eagles and international football last summer.
