Mikel set for £140,000 per-week move

Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel is close to a free transfer to Chinese side Tianjin TEDA, who have offered him £140,000-per-week to see off competition from Marseille and Valencia, with the deal expected to be formally announced early next week.

The 29-year-old has only six months left on his deal and has been allowed to talk to clubs since December, with Chelsea willing to let their second-longest-serving player, after John Terry, go for free.

Tianjin TEDA were one of two Chinese Super League clubs to compete for Mikel’s signature and he will move to football’s newest superpower just weeks after Oscar left Chelsea in a £52 million deal to join Shanghai SIPG.

Mikel was initially reluctant to move to China as he looked for a move that was best for him and his family, but has been convinced after talks in London with the CSL side.

Chelsea haven’t fielded Mikel since his return from competing in the Olympics with Nigeria, where he won a bronze medal.

-Daily Trust