Chelsea 'already had deal for Obi'

Chelsea are to challenge the validity of John Obi Mikel's contract with Manchester United in an attempt to bring the Nigerian wonderkid to Stamford Bridge.

The Premiership champions are extremely confident of securing the teenage sensation and are prepared to go to world governing body FIFA to prove their case.

United announced Mikel's signing from Lyn Oslo on a four-year contract last month, but Standard Sport has learned that Chelsea had already signed an agreement with the Norwegian club, casting doubt over his move to Old Trafford.

Under the contract with Lyn, signed in November 2004, Chelsea agreed to pay the £400,000-a-year costs of training and educating four Nigerian teenagers in Oslo - Mikel, Emmanuel Sarki, Ezekiel Bala and Chinedu Obasi Ogbuke - in return for the first option on the players.

The contract states that Lyn cannot sign the players permanently or sell them on without Chelsea's permission, an agreement which they will claim has been violated. Chelsea were furious when they discovered Mikel had signed for United and have resolved to get the contract annulled.

The club have yet to enter into negotiations with the 18-year-old, but his presence in London and repeated protestations that he wants to sign for Chelsea suggest it is only a matter of time.

Mikel today claimed he had been forced to sign a contract at Old Trafford against his will, blaming Lyn's director of football Morgan Andersen and two unnamed United representatives for forcing his hand.

He said: "I've been forced to sign for Manchester United. It's not what I want. I was put under pressure from Morgan Andersen."