StoryMikel to leave Chelsea

John Obi Mikel might be leaving Chelsea in the summer.


The player stated that he is fed up to stay on the bench and that he will look for another club if things do not change for him. He said that it does not matter which club he joins, but he wants to play football.

Chelsea will be managed by Antonio Conte next season, and so far it is unclear whether John Obi Mikel forms part of his plans or not. It is reported that the Italian manager might be interested in some new midfielders, and this may cause Mikel to fall further down the pecking order.

John Obi Mikel said that he want to have further talks with Antonio Conte before deciding whether he will stay at the club or not. He said that he had had a nice chat with the coach so far but he wants to make sure that he will be part of the first team. John Obi Mikel did not play much when Jose Mourinho was managing the team but did had some more playing time under GuusHiddink.

The Nigerian international joined Chelsea in 2006 and is keen to fulfill the remainder of his contract. However, he wants a guarantee that he will be featuring in the team and not be spending his time on the bench. This is why he intends to discuss with Antonio Conte first before deciding whether he will be signing a new contract with the team or not.

Antonio Conte will be taking charge of the team as from next week. He stated that he wants to have some rest following the elimination of Italy from the Euros and that he will assess the team as from next week. He said that managing Chelsea will be a great challenge for him.