Chelsea are poised to tell Mikel John Obi that this is his last season at Stamford Bridge after a decade at the club.
Standard Sport reported Mikel’s contract expires in the summer and sources at the club have revealed they will not be giving him a new one.
Obi joined the club from Lyn Oslo in 2006, but has not been in a matchday squad this term. He was able to work under Antonio Conte for only a week during pre-season because he was with Nigeria at the Rio Olympics. Since returning in late August, Mikel has fallen behind Nemanja Matic, N’Golo Kante, Nathaniel Chalobah and Ruben Loftus-Cheek in the pecking order and is not a part of Conte’s plans.
Mikel has won 10 major trophies at Chelsea, including two Premier League titles, the Europa League and the biggest prize of all, the Champions League in 2012. Marseille are considering making a move for him and there is also interest from clubs in the Chinese Super League, America’s MLS and the Middle East.