Super Eagles midfielder,Mikel Obi insists his immediate future lies with Chelsea and that he will fight for his place in Jose Mourinho’s first team,reports Africanfootball.com.
Reports in the international media suggest Chelsea are looking to offload the Super Eagle with clubs in Italy claiming they have been offered the Nigerian for £5million.
Mikel started just 11 Premier League games for Chelsea last season as he struggled for game time alongside the likes of Nemanja Matic, Willian and Ramires.
But a close confidant of Mikel told the African football website that the star midfielder will not leave Stamford Bridge and would rather stay put and prove a point.
Mikel has a contract at ‘The Blues’ till June 2016.
“Mikel is not leaving Chelsea,at least this summer. He told me he doesn’t want to move now as he will stay and fight for his place in the team,” said the close associate who grew up with Mikel in Jos and has visited him variously in London.
There are strong interest from Inter Milan and Galatasaray for Mikel this summer.
The close confidant insisted Mikel and compatriot Victor Moses have been excused from Chelsea pre-season training in Austria because they are still on a World Cup break.
“He and Moses have not been overlooked by the team, they are still on holidays due to their participation in the World Cup and that was why they are not in Austria.”
Mikel had last month expressed the confidence that the arrival of Cesc Fabregas will not force him out of the West London club.
Fabregas completed his £27m move from Barcelona to Chelsea prior to the start of the World Cup, signing a five-year deal worth close to £200,000-a-week.
But despite this, the 27-year-old Mikel insists he remains fully committed to Chelsea and cannot wait to link up with Fabregas.
“I don’t have a problem with the signing of Cesc Fabregas,” Mikel said.
“We have played against each other a lot of times. We don’t play in the same position anyway.
“Chelsea are my home away from home, my second home. You never know what’s going to happen in football, but I’m very happy at Chelsea and I want to remain at Chelsea.
“I still have three years left on my contract and want to stay there.
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COMMENTS
MY FRIEND STOP LYING TO YOURSELF, WHAT KIND OF HOLIDAY IS THAT, ARE THEY THE ONLY ONE THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE TOURNAMENT? EVEN THE PLAYERS THAT PLAYED IN THE SEMI AND FINALS HAVE GONE BACK TO THEIR CLUB.
IF HE HAD DONE WELL, LOTS OF CLUBS WOULD HAVE BEEN FIGHTING OVER HIM NOW BUT HE WAS REALLY A FLOOP IN THAT WORLD CUP AND HE JUST NEED TO HAVE EXTRA WORK ON HIMSELF TO BE PART OF THOSE GREAT PLAYERS.
MOSES TOO NEED TO REALLY BUGGLE UP OR BETTER STILL LOOK FOR A PSYCHOLOGIST TO HELP HIM, I THINK HE IS DOWN MORALLY AND THAT HAS BEEN AFFECTING HIS GAME. GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL
Mikel, you need to move ahead and face new challenges in Italy or any other Western European Country. Mourinho is not known for developing talents, rather he is noted as a big talent killer. It is obvious that lack of playing time in Chelsea affected your performance in the just concluded World cup in Brazil. Nigerians love you and would want you to improve your game. This is not possible with your presence in Chelsea.