Mikel eyeing EPL return via West Brom

Former Super Eagles captain, Mikel Obi is looking good to return to the English Premier League next season if West Bromwich Albion secures the signature of the former Chelsea midfielder according to reports.

The Baggies are back in the topflight for the upcoming season and have been linked with an interest to woo the midfielder to play holding role.

The details were still sketchy by Tuesday night on the extent of the talks, sources close to West Brom suggested on Monday that Mikel with more than 350 appearances for Chelsea is top amongst players Manager Slaven Bilic hopes to fortify the team with.

Bilic is hoping that the experience of the Nigerian who is a free agent to help his midfield as the club return to topflight.

The transfer news on Mikel goes beyond West Brom. A report in UK’s Stoke City Sentinel, Sky Bet Championship club Stoke City are weighing up a move for Mikel also.

Stoke Manager Michael O’Neil is reported to be in search of a holding midfielder and Mikel appears fit into the kind of player on his radar.

There were also reports linking Mikel with a move to Braziian clubs Botafogo and Internacional.

After a spell in China’s Super League, Mikel returned to sign for Middlesbrough in a short-term deal in 2019.

He later joined Trabzonspor in Turkey before leaving on mutual agreement after insisting life was more precious than returning to football without proper protocol in place to save players from the pandemic.