Mikel John Obi prefers European football to Chinese money
By George Perry
Shanghai SIPG will get only one of the Chelsea players they covet in January. Mikel John Obi turned down a doubling (and then some) of his wages in favor of staying in European football.
Mikel John Obi is one of the few Chelsea players who has played less than Oscar this season. Oscar has five starts and six substitute appearances for 456 minutes. That is 456 minutes more than Mikel.
Rather than follow Oscar and the money to China, though, Mikel intends to stay in one of the top European leagues. He will likely have to accept a pay decrease from the £70,000 per week he currently receives at Chelsea. Even so, the lure of competition and the Champions League is too much for him.
Mikel’s decision is the full opposite of Oscar’s. Oscar is trading he prime years of his career (he is 25) to play for near-world-record wages in China. He chose an absolute guarantee of financial security for him and his family over his competitive aspirations.
Related Story: What could Chelsea do with Oscar's £60 million fee?
The familiar faces Oscar encounters in China will be players on the other side of 30, winding down their careers and making a brief stop for riches. He will not have the Champions League to aspire to, and a Chinese Super League title will carry little prestige. Some pundits speculate that his lack of visibility and the reduced level of competition may even impact his place on Brazil’s national team.
Mikel John Obi, on the other hand, is about to turn 30. At many other Premier League clubs he would still be in his prime. Unfortunately his skill sets, age and style of play are wholly incompatible with Antonio Conte’s vision. Conte would rather deploy an up-and-coming star like Nathaniel Chalobah to see out a game in holding midfield than Mikel. Mikel also does not have the pace or versatility Conte demands of all his players.
Mikel recognizes how much he can still bring to the vast majority of teams in Europe, while also satisfying his competitive needs. He could not pull himself from the much higher quality of competition, prestige of the leagues and opportunity to play in the Champions League. While certainly considering the finances (Shanghai SIPG offered him £170,000 a week), Mikel gave more weight to the disruption that a move to China would entail for his family.
Ligue One club Olympique Marseille is the leading contender for Mikel. Chelsea and Marseille of a strong history of doing business together, although mostly with players coming to Chelsea from France. Didier Drogba, Cesar Azpilicueta, Loic Remy and Michy Batshuayi all played for Marseille before joining the Blues.
Next: Antonio Conte showing how to play out from the back and win
Mikel John Obi has won everything there is to win with Chelsea in his 12 years at the club. He should be commended for still wanting to do more as a footballer. Chelsea should reward him with a solid transfer to a club like Marseille.