Former Nigeria U-23 coach, Samson Siasia, has claimed that John Obi Mikel’s agent offered him €50,000 to include the midfielder in Nigeria’s squad for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, despite Mikel missing the qualifiers.
Siasia made the statement during an interview with Elegbete TV Sports. He alleged that Mikel opted out of the qualifiers but requested to join the team after Nigeria had secured their Olympic ticket.
Nigeria went on to win the silver medal at the tournament without Mikel in the squad.
In response, John Shittu, Mikel’s former agent, denied the allegation, describing it as false. He also said the matter had been resolved privately and claimed Siasia later apologized.
The revelation has stirred reactions across Nigeria’s football space and revived conversations around team selection and transparency in national football.
