The future of Super Eagles
Captain Mikel Obi looks increasingly uncertain as new Chelsea manager Antonio Conte is desperate to add a new defensive midfield option to the
Blues line-up for next season.
The 29-year-old has survived a series of managers in his ten-year
spell at the club but with the coming of Conte the end seems near for
the former Lyn Oslo star.
Radja Nainggolan is Conte’s first choice but despite Chelsea’s
willingness to pay £31.7m for his services, Roma are desperate to keep
their priced asset and will hold crunch talks with the player
immediately after the Euro 2016 in a bid to lure him out of a possible
move to London and offer him a bumper new deal.
According to reports, Nemanja Matic who
played a key role in Chelsea’s title win two seasons ago has requested
for a move away from the club but instead of it coming as a good news for
Mikel, it only adds to more worries as Conte is ready to activate the
release clause on another target – N’Golo Kante of Leicester City.
The Italian is a self-confessed admirer of Chile’s Arturo Vidal
because of his battling kind of play but Bayern Munich have made it
clear that the player is not for sell at any price.
Mikel enjoyed a good run under Guus Hiddink in the second part of
last season but that will not be enough to secure an automatic shirt for
the Nigerian in Conte’s team. The search for the new Chelsea anchorman
continues as Mikel’s situation remains uncertain.
