Chelsea’s Mikel receives ‘sizeable’ ransom demand for dad

Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel has been told indirectly by his father’s kidnappers he will have to pay £80,000 for his safe return.

The representatives for the Nigeria international, Sport Entertainment & Media Group, released a statement earlier today outlining the “sizeable” demand made for the release of Michael Obi:

"SEM advises that reports from Nigeria of an 80,000 pounds ransom demand for the return of John Obi Mikel's father is not true.

"We confirm that Michael Obi has been abducted and that the kidnappers have been in touch with the family and representatives of the family and that discussions for Michael's safe release have begun.”

Despite being aware of his father’s abduction last week, Mikel played for Chelsea in their season opener with Stoke 48 hours later and has made himself available for selection this Saturday against West Brom.

Mikel hasn’t had direct contact with the kidnappers but made the following plea on Monday via an interview on Sky Sports News:

"Whoever has got my dad or knows where my dad is please contact me and hopefully he will be released. Please let him go - my dad is an old man and he hasn't done any harm to anyone as far as I know and I don't know why he has been taken.

"This happens a lot, not in the northern part of Nigeria but in the eastern part. It's a very safe place where we live in Jos, I think it's a first that my father has been taken in the northern part.”