Obi claims to have signed for Man Utd against his will

The 18-year-old midfielder is currently at the centre of a transfer row between two of England's biggest clubs, Manchester United and Chelsea.

Obi, who plays for Norwegian club Lyn Oslo, skipped training on Thursday to travel to London with his Nigerian agent John Shittu.

"We think it's best that John Mikel Obi now returns back to Lyn, and that the situation returns to normal," the association spokesman Roger Solheim said on Saturday.

Mikel signed a contract with United on 29 April and was set to join them in January 2006.

But in a dramatic television interview on Friday, the youngster claimed that he had been pressured into signing for Manchester United and no longer wants to play for the team.

He has been holed up at a London hotel since Thursday and British media have speculated that he may go to Chelsea instead.

Lyn Oslo's sporting director, Morgan Andersen, said he expects Mikel to be back in time for Monday's game against Odd Grenland.

"I count on Mikel being back here on Sunday and that he will participate in our practice then," Andersen said.