adminLONDON — 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 English 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in pre-season, started Mikel in his first game against Rapid Vienna but Chelsea were overrun in midfield and he was withdrawn after 58 minutes.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. — Mailonline.
Online Reporter