The former Super Eagles star had his contract terminated by Trabzonspor on Tuesday after he expressed his displeasure at playing amid the coronavirus outbreak.
John Mikel Obi has spoken for the first time after leaving Trabzonspor following his refusal to play due to the epidemic.
The former Chelsea star took to his Instagram page to thank the Trabzonspor fans but revealed he had to decide for his family.
The 32-year-old joined Trabzonspor on a two-year deal after leaving Middlesbrough last year. He is one of the Karadeniz Fırtınasi's key players this season, making 27 appearances in all competitions this campaign.
However, following the outbreak of the coronavirus, Mikel expressed his discomfort at the Turkish football authorities over their decision not to suspend the Super Lig.
The pandemic has caused disruptions to a lot of sporting competitions in Europe with several European Leagues currently on suspension.
But the Super Lig is one of the few leagues that are currently on, and Mikel expressed his dissatisfaction with the decision.
The former Nigeria international reportedly refused to play in Trabzonspor 1-1 draw against Istanbul Basaksehir on Sunday, and the club decided to take action by terminating his contract.
Reacting to the decision, Mikel thanked the club's fans, and also wished the club success in the future in a post on his Instagram page.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B94COhonKwi/
Trabzonspor are currently top of the Super Lig table with 53 points from 26 games.
