Mikel To Quit Chelsea In January

The Nigeria international who has been at the club 11 years – is also in the last year of his contract at Stamford Bridge, and believes it is the right time to speak to other clubs for a move at the winter transfer window.

The Nigerian captained his country’s Olympic side to a bronze medal in Rio this summer but has not featured under Antonio Conte so far this season following the arrival of N’Golo Kante.

“I have one year left [on my contract],” Mikel told Goal. “When you have a year left as a football player, you have to start planning and start thinking about what’s going to happen at the end of the season. Yes, there are going to be rumours, yes, there are going to be conversations between clubs.

“When you have a year left, in January, you are allowed to talk to other clubs and sign a pre-contract or have an agreement so, yes, I will talk to other clubs because you never know what is going to happen.”

“I’ve been here for a long, long time. I’ve spent 11 years of my life in this football club, it is my home.

“This season is the last at the club if my contract ends. I am quite relaxed about it, the future looks good.”

Mikel has yet to feature for Chelsea this season under Antonio Conte, but he is determined to force his way into the Italian’s plans and have his Blues contract renewed.

“I am always open to a new conversation, a negotiation [with Chelsea],” he added. “But if there’s none, the future still looks bright. One day you have to move on. I think my memories here, my achievements here, are something that no one will ever take away from me.

“I have won everything there is to win with this football club. We were the first London club to win the Champions League, and forever I will be one of the first players to win the Champions League for Chelsea. Those memories will never go away.”

The 29-year-old also admitted he would be interested in reuniting with former teammate Frank Lampard in Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States.

Lampard moved to New York City FC in the MLS in 2014 after a 14-year spell as the club’s all-time leading scorer in all competitions, ranked fourth among all players in the English Premier League with 177 goals.

“There was absolutely no doubt that Frank wouldn’t go out there and succeed,” the Nigeria international added.

“I am happy that he is back to his best, doing what he loves to do and, one day, who knows, I may go over there and play with him, or play against him.”

Mikel is Chelsea’s second longest serving player after John Terry and has won three Premier League titles, two FA Cups, the Europa League and the Champions League in his 11-year career at Stamford Bridge.