Mikel's situation to be cleared up at Chelsea 'in the next few weeks', claims agent

Having not played at all this season for the club, Mikel's Chelsea career appears to be winding down slowly but surely and he looks ever closer to a January exit.  This has been the assumed outcome for some time, though his agent has refused to rule out, or confirm for that matter, anything at this point.  He is, after all, an agent.

"Obi Mikel and Antonio have been speaking. The manager, club and player have been talking. So I am not in a position to tell about what they have been speaking about, in the next few weeks things should be clearer."

"We have been having meeting with a few parties who are interested in him, once we are able to agree the way forward with Chelsea, then we will take it from there. There are a few clubs in Europe and Asia, they are numerous and are interested in him because he is a quality player, aged only 29, and we just have to speak, so we will see. A lot of interest is there."

"There is no decision made yet and it is still 50/50 whether he will sign or leave. A lot can happen in the next months, never say never in football."

Those quotes are a couple days old by now, and since then, Mikel's been linked (once again) with Besiktas in Turkey as well as, rather interestingly, with Manchester United.  As if Mikel wasn't the first and perhaps most vocal critic of the former Chelsea boss after he was sacked last season.

"I am very busy because he is one of my players who we need to decide on what happens in the next window. Is there going to be a January opportunity? Our number one priority is to make the best decision on his future and that's what we are trying to do."

"His future is very bright, so we are having meetings, here and there, and we have to work towards the January window. We have meetings with different clubs and we are very clear about the situation. We are just waiting for the window to open and we will go the best way forward for Obi Mikel."

-John Shittu; source: Goal

The one thing we've never doubted about Mikel has been his professionalism.  Having grown up in the club over the past decade, from a brash 19-year-old to a strong lock-down midfielder, the human final whistle, in his late 20s, Mikel is still diligently turning up to training (where he's popping up at center back, apparently) and putting in the required effort.  That might not be enough to get him back in the team right now, but it does bode well for any team that might sign him next.