‘I’d be very happy’: PL legend reveals he’d welcome United star with open arms to his former club

While the majority of Chelsea fans are pleading for Todd Boehly to close his chequebook and let Enzo Maresca utilise the players already at his disposal, one former Blue would controversially welcome a rival player if the opportunity presented itself.

Indeed, John Obi Mikel has admitted he’d welcome Jadon Sancho to Stamford Bridge with open arms this summer after recent reports have suggested Chelsea are sizing up a deal.

Manchester United won’t stand in the way of the winger’s potential exit and are currently locked in negotiations with Juventus to try and hash out a deal before Friday’s deadline.

One roadblock in discussions is that the Serie A outfit is hoping to sign Sancho on loan, whether that be with an option or obligation to buy, though only the latter actually benefits United long-term.

It remains to be seen if Chelsea will accelerate their interest by making a formal approach in the coming days. Sky Sports announced today that the board are pursuing a move for Brentford talisman Ivan Toney, which, if a transfer materialises, would likely rule them out of a move for the Red Devils wantaway.

How Obi Mikel reacted to Chelsea’s Sancho interest

Reacting to the speculation linking Sancho with a Stamford Bridge switch, Obi Mikel said on his podcast: “If we can get him through the door at Chelsea, I’d be very, very happy. He’s a fantastic player.

“I think on that side of the pitch, we’re very strong. Listen, if we can get a player like Jadon, of course, you’d be happy to have him. If that happens, I’d be very happy.”