Mikel Can Elevate Botafogo’s Status Together With Yaya Toure – Analyst

Former Super Eagles’ captain, John Mikel Obi has been tipped to link forces with former four-time African Footballer of The Year, Yaya Toure of Cote d’Ivoire in taking the fortunes of high-profile Botafogo of Brazil to better levels, megasportsarena.com reports.

Although Mikel is yet to officially make his stand point known about interest being expressed in him by Botafogo, as their Brazilian Serie A rivals, Internacional, also want his signature, TV Globo presenter, Luis Roberto is of a view that the Rio 2016 Olympics and 2019 Africa Cup of Nations bronze medalist would bring a lot of quality to bear playing alongside Yaya in The Samba Nation.

In making his projections for what Botafogo stand to gain should they sign Mikel in the coming days, Roberto likened the former Lyn Oslo of Norway, Chelsea and Middlesbrough of England, Tianjin Teda of China and Trabzonspor of Turkey star to ex-Manchester City midfield ace, Yaya, and the respected screen analysts reckons both legends would be able to gel in the same team.

Both exuberant midfielders are currently free agents and have been linked with possible moves to Botafogo, for which negotiations were at an advanced stage before the coronavirus outbreak, and, although Roberto admitted that Mikel and Yaya play virtually the same position on the field, he reckons that they would make a world of difference playing together in the same team.

Mikel is on the lookout for a new club after mutually terminating his contract with Trabzonspor in March, on account of his falling out with the Turkish Super Lig club’s top brass over issues of suspending matches because of coronavirus, a year before the agreement was due to run out, such that Roberto is now tipping him to join Botafogo in the coming days.

Although Yaya had earlier been quoted with a u-turn against initial talk about him also moving to Ro de Janeiro-based Botafogo, Roberto is of a strong view that the club’s hierarchy would be able to convince the player to make the move, especially with Mikel as solid bait in the deal.

Roberto told Canal do TF: “I broadcast Mikel’s spectacular games, they play in a similar position, Mikel played further back in the last World Cup. Yaya Touré found a lot of freshness. They would add a lot and elevate the game of Botafogo to think about big things.

“Like a place in the Libertadores and even a title. Yaya doesn’t know if he wants to live in Brazil, that’s fine, but … Anyway, one or the other, or even both, it would be really cool for Botafogo.”