Mikel might stay in the premier league again

John Mikel Obi looks to be on his way out
of Chelsea.

The Nigerian midfielder, 29, is the
second-longest serving player at Stamford
Bridge but has found himself frozen out
— and with his contract expiring, no fresh
talks are planned.

Antonio Conte has not picked Mikel in a
matchday squad and having been first
choice under just six months ago, the
Nigerian is now as low as sixth or seventh
in his midfield pecking order.
It is fast becoming an inevitability that
2017 will be the last of Mikel’s 11 years at
Chelsea with his contract up in the
summer.

Sources close to the player have told
Sportsmail that the two-time Premier
League title winner will walk out at the
end of the season with no shame if this
proves to be the end.

No new negotiations have been scheduled
and it would take a significant turnaround
for an extended stay to come to fruition.
Mikel continues to work with Conte’s first-
team squad looking to win back a place
but a late start to the season and
difficulties with minor injuries have
curtailed him.

Fitness has been a problem in that sense,
while Mikel is not seen as quick or
energetic enough to perform to the same
level as Ngolo Kante or Nemanja Matic in
terms of the requirements of the way the
Blues’ midfield works.

Now, even the likes of previously-
overlooked academy product Nathaniel
Chalobah have been catapulted above
Mikel in Conte’s thoughts.
He has not even appeared on the bench
in the EFL Cup — a competition the new
manager used to spread game-time
around his squad before their exit at the
hands of West Ham.

Those close to Mikel concede his lack of
minutes on the pitch is likely to force him
towards the door.
It is a drastic fall since Guus Hiddink
championed Mikel as his leading holding
midfielder towards the end of last season.
He started 11 of Chelsea’s final 12 games
of the run-in.
Conte, adopting a blank slate approach in
pre-season, started Mikel in his first
game against Rapid Vienna but Chelsea
were overrun in midfield and he was
withdrawn after 58 minutes.

He played five minutes four days later
against RZ Pellets and then scored — a
rare occurrence — while completing 90
minutes in a behind-closed-doors friendly
against local Austrian team Atus Ferlach.
But then came the Olympics. Mikel was
called to captain Nigeria in Brazil and led
his country to bronze. He had Conte’s
blessing.

Another medal to add to a considerable
collection, but the 29-year-old missed the
rest of pre-season and the start of the
season. And the lack of presence on Chelsea’s
tour of the United States and back in
London knocked Mikel back in Conte’s
thinking.

Work was needed to adapt to
the manager’s methods on his return.
With Chelsea’s fixture calendar far less
congested this year due to an absence of
European football, there are not many
opportunities for fringe members of the
squad.

Michy Batshuayi and Ruben Loftus-Cheek
have found that out with limited minutes
offered up, but at 23 and 20 respectively,
they have youth on their side. Mikel does
not.

He has also had injury problems at key
times when routes back towards the first
team could have opened up.

‘There are players who are towards the
end of their contract, and they and the
club together take a decision on their
futures,’ Conte said last week.

‘Mikel is working very well now. In the
past he’s sometimes had some injuries.
But now he’s working very hard, and I’m
pleased with his work-rate.’

The pair have not discussed the contract
situation, although Mikel is settled in
London with his girlfriend and children
and may look to stay in the Premier
League if he does leave.

Mikel is currently on international duty in
the Nigerian capital, Abuja, where he
joins team-mate Victor Moses ahead of a
World Cup qualifier against Algeria to
come on Saturday.

He has continued to play for his country
during international breaks.
Mikel’s commendable outlook remains
one of fighting for a return while
remembering past successes but, after
368 appearances and 10 major trophies
including the Champions League, his time
at Stamford Bridge looks to be at the
beginning of the end.