Mikel
Obi has left the Chelsea training base in Austria and headed for a new
challenge with Nigeria’s Olympic football team currently in Atlanta, USA
preparing for Rio 2016.
The Super Eagles Captain missed out on the 2008 Olympic where Nigeria
lost in the final to a Lionel Messi inspired Argentina and after
enjoying success at all levels of his career the only tournament left to
play is the Olympics.
The 28-year-old was named by Coach Samson Siasia as one of the
over-aged players in his 18 man list for the football event of the
Olympics in Brazil this summer but despite doubts over the availability
of the Chelsea stand-in Captain due to the arrival of new manager
Antonio Conte – the former Lyn Oslo star has picked representing the
national team over fighting for a place in the Blues line-up under the
Italian.
Mikel
played all the three pre-season friendlies under Conte and capped his
last one with a goal in the 8-0 thumping of Austria minnows Atus Ferlach
before departing the London sides training base to go join up with the
Dream Team VI.
First part of Chelsea pre-season done. Off to Atlanta to join the Nigeria team for the Olympics 2016 #OlympicsBrazil.
Mikel who has played for almost a decade for the Stamford Bridge side
is currently being linked with a host of clubs and there are strong
indications that he may be shipped out after the arrival of N’Golo Kante
from Leicester City.