Mikel Plays down Southampton Link

The report alleging that John Obi Mikel will form part of the deal that will see Southampton’s Morgan Schneiderlin move to Stamford Bridge in the summer are wide of the mark.

The Nigeria international has been heavily tipped to leave Chelsea in the last few seasons, with the likes of Monaco, Inter Milan, Galatasaray and Schalke 04 genuinely interested in his signature.

According to Mikel, he is happy to be a Chelsea player and is not even thinking about his future until the end of this season.

”All what you are reading about Mikel is paper talk, and for now he is happy in Chelsea,” the defensive midfielder’s intermediary confided to SL10.ng.

”Mikel is not talking about him staying or leaving Chelsea until after the season.”

Obi Mikel joined Chelsea in June 2006 from Norwegian club Lyn Oslo after a protracted dispute with Manchester United.

The recently turned 28-year-old has 26 months left on his current contract with the Londoners.