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Former Chelsea star reveals how Sir Alex Ferguson locked him in a room for 20 minutes as part of failed pitch to get him to join Man United

Legendary ex-manager Sir Alex Ferguson once resorted to locking a teenage prodigy in a room in a last-ditch effort to convince him to sign for Manchester United.

The extraordinary revelation comes from former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel, who has lifted the lid on the intense battle between two Premier League giants for his signature as a teenager.

Mikel had already signed a pre-contract with United and was expected to join the club after turning 18. But as he continued to impress in Norway with Lyn, Chelsea made their move — and the situation quickly spiralled into a full-blown transfer saga involving FIFA, the FA, and millions of pounds.