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  • Sports - Football - Transfers
  • Updated: July 02, 2021

Transfer: Stoke City Boss, O'Neill Sends Message To Ex-Super Eagles Captain, Mikel, After Move To Kuwaiti Club

Transfer: Stoke City Boss, O'Neill Sends Message To Ex-Super

John Obi Mikel

Stoke City boss, Michael O'Neill has thanked former Super Eagles of Nigeria captain, John Obi Mikel, ‘for his contribution’ to the English side.

Kuwaiti Premier League side Kuwait SC via its Twitter handle on Thursday confirmed Mikel acquisition - a one-year deal.

Mike Obi transfer

O'Neill told the Stoke City’s official website after the Nigerian one-year stint with them ended: “Although John triggered the second year of his contract, we always had an agreement in place whereby we would let him leave if a significant overseas opportunity came along.

Stoke City boss

“John is a fantastic professional and was a huge presence for us last season both on and off the field, particularly with the young players in our first-team squad.

“I really enjoyed working with him and would like to take this opportunity to thank him for his contribution and wish him every success for the future.”

Stoke City in a statement released on its official website on Thursday night had also confirmed that Mikel - best known for the 11 years he spent at Chelsea where he won the Champions League - has left by mutual consent.

The news of Mikel’s transfer away from the bet365 Stadium came to some people as a bit of surprise, considering the African football star just extended his contract not long ago.

“Stoke City can confirm that John Obi Mikel’s contract with the Club has been cancelled by mutual consent.

“The 34-year-old former Nigerian international midfielder, who still had a year to run on his existing contract with the Potters, made 41 league and cup appearances for the Club last season,” the English club said.

It is a return to Asia for Mikel who spent two  seasons with Chinese Super League club Tianjin Teda.

Mikel made 41 appearances for Stoke City across all competitions as The Potters finished 14th in the Championship table.

His move to the bet365 Stadium came about after terminating his contract with Turkish outfit Trabzonspor, having expressed concerns that the Super Lig was continuing amid the coronavirus pandemic.

But the former Lyn Oslo of Norway man is now set to go on another footballing adventure in Asia.

A move to Middlesbrough preceded a transfer to Trabzonspor, with Obi Mikel making 19 appearances and scoring once at the Riverside Stadium.

Kuwait SC have won the country’s topflight, VIVA Premier League, 15 times with the most recent one coming in the 2018-2019 season.

The club is the first from Kuwait to ever win an Asian title, that is the AFC Cup, which they have won three times in 2009, 2012 and 2013.

They, alongside Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya of Irag, have won the AFC Cup  (three) more than any other Asian club.

Kuwait SC finished third in the division last season behind Al-Qadsia and champions Al-Arabi.

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