The Nigerian international has been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge this summer, and Turkish SA?per Lig club Fenerbah e are reportedly interested in the 28-year-old Chelsea FC midfielder
John Obi Mikel has a surprisingly for some a played close to 350 games for Chelsea FC in a Blues career spanning nearly a decade, winning two Premier League titles, two League Cups, four F.A. Cups as well as a Europa League and a Champions League.
With Petr A?ech signing for Arsenal and Didier Drogba leaving the club at the end of his 1-year deal, Mikel now remains the only player besides John Terry to have played under Jos Mourinho during the Portuguesea s first spell in charge of Chelsea FC.
That, however, could change in the coming weeks. . According to Ersin DA?zen, a sports presenter for TRT Spora s Futbol GA?nlA?AYA? program, Fenerbah e sporting director Giuliano Terraneo held talks with the Nigerian in London regarding a potential move to the Turkish SA?per Lig.
Fenerbah e finished runners up in the league to Galatasaray last season, securing a spot in the Champions League play-off stages, with the club set to return to European competition after a two-year ban for match-fixing.
That, in part, could be driving their ambitious recruitment policy this summer, with a deal for Robin van Persie reportedly already wrapped up. The reliability of DA?zen is questionable however, and no other reports have emerged thus far to corroborate his claims.
Ersin DA?zen: Terraneo AYu anda Londra’da Obi Mikel transferi de ger ekleAYebilir #FutbolGA?nlA?AYA?
a Futbol GA?nlA?AYA? (@trtfutbolgunluk) July 8, 2015
Despite the polarising effect that Mikel has on Chelsea FC fans all over the world, he has remained at the club through several managerial changes and it is clear that each of those managers have seen him as an asset to the first-team squad.
Now, however, with an elite defensive midfielder like Nemanja Mati anchoring the Bluesa midfield, and a creative midfielder of the quality of Cesc F bregas partnering him, it appears unlikely that Mikel will be able to fight his way back into the first team.
The Nigerian international also recently obtained a British passport, which would make it easier for him to move to leagues that have restrictions relating to the registration of non-EU (European Union) players a particularly the Serie A with Inter Milan reportedly interested.
Despite the emergence of Ruben Loftus-Cheek, it is quite unlikely that Jos Mourinho will sanction any deal for Mikel unless he has first secured a central midfield replacement. Given that that seems a relatively distant prospect at this stage, the Nigeriana s potential move away from Chelsea FC will probably not go through until the final few weeks of the transfer window.