Super Eagles captain and Chelsea of England midfielder John Mikel Obi is likely to end his playing nightmare with Conte following a likely move to Valencia after holding Christmas Day talks with the Spanish club.According to dailymail.com, Sporting director of Valencia of Spain, Jesus Garcia Pitarch says he put forward a proposal to Mikel, 29, whose Chelsea contract expires in the summer.
The Nigeria international is free to talk to foreign clubs about a summer move and Chelsea allowed him to discuss a January exit with Valencia, who are believed to be offering a potential four-year deal.
Valencia sporting director Jesus Garcia Pitarch confirmed he met with Mikel to put forward a proposal a little over a week ago.
But manager Cesare Prandelli’s decision to quit the Spanish club after just 10 games since that meeting could throw a spanner into the works.
‘In the case of Obi Mikel, with Chelsea’s permission, I met with him in London on Christmas Day,’ Pitarch told Spanish outlet Superdeporte.
‘I informed him of the option [of joining Valencia]. He said he would think about it.’
Prandelli left Valencia on Saturday after growing frustrated with their lack of ambition in the transfer market.
Mikel, a veteran of 11 seasons at Stamford Bridge since joining from Lyn Oslo in 2006, has also fielded interest from Marseille.
The defensive midfielder would have preferred to stay at Chelsea but accepts that he may have to move on, with Mikel placed some way down Antonio Conte’s pecking order.
The Italian manager signed N’Golo Kante this summer and Nathaniel Chalobah is also now ahead of Mikel in his thinking after returning from a series of loan spells.
