Mikel Obi’s return to the Super Eagles was perhaps not through the backdoor after all, despite his one-year hiatus from the team – he was still hot commodity.

Super Eagles Head Coach Gernot Rohr explained that Mikel’s experience was an invaluable asset and “everybody wanted him back”.

The Eagles captain did not play a single game in the AFCON 2019 qualifiers; infamously ruling himself out after Nigeria’s world cup campaign in Russia.

But, Rohr insists his captain was warmly welcomed back by teammates and he is already proving to be a catalyst especially on the pitch as well as off it, in the team.

“I see the experience of Obi Mikel, everybody wanted him to come back.

“He has been well received by the group again like he had always been with us and so it was also important to reintegrate Obi Mikel; it was done very well and he showed that he is on the way to being very fit.”