After falling down the pecking order at Chelsea under Antonio Conte, John Obi Mikel’s career at Stamford Bridge could soon come to an end.
John Obi Mikel’s future does look very uncertain under Chelsea’s new manager Antonio Conte, with the Nigerian failing to make it to the match-day squad for the club even once this season.
Since Chelsea’s defeat against Arsenal, Antonio Conte has changed his team to a 3-4-3 system, with Nemanja Matic and new signing N’golo Kante forming a rock solid partnership in midfield. Meanwhile, academy product Nathaniel Chalobah is ahead of Mikel in the pecking order. The Blues are also rumored to be interested in bringing PSG midfielder Javier Pastore to the club in January.
And now, TuttoMercatoWeb (h/t Goal) have claimed Marseille are willing to offer the Nigeria captain a way out of the London based club, with the Ligue 1 side evaluating the possibilities of acquiring his services in the upcoming January transfer window.
John Obi Mikel has served Chelsea for more than a decade, appearing on 372 occasions for the Blues and winning the Premier League twice and Champions League once among others trophies.
Mikel’s contract with Chelsea ends in June 2017, which enables him to sign a pre-contract with any potential suitor in the January transfer window. The midfielder expressed an openness to move to the MLS earlier this season, while he has also been liked with moves to the Turkish league.
The 29-year-old midfielder remains a potentially excellent option for clubs thanks to his defensive astuteness in the middle of the park and capability to shut down the opposition attack. The arrival of Matic and subsequently Kante has made the Nigerian somewhat redundant at Stamford Bridge, particularly considering that the Blues’ current midfield partnership also offers a lot going forward.
It remains to be seen where Mikel eventually lands, but it certainly appears his time at Chelsea is coming to an end.