Chelsea midfielders Cesc Fabregas and John Obi Mikel have both been recently linked with a move away from the club, but Antonio Conte has talked about the two Blues players’ destiny ahead of Sunday’s Premier League fixture against West Bromwich Albion.
Fabregas has only started two league games this season under Conte’s management and has therefore been speculated to be on his way out of the club. Serious interest from Serie A has filled the news with audacious rumours for the past few months, but Conte insists that the Spaniard is not going anywhere, Express quotes him saying.
As I have said in a previous press conference, Cesc is a good player and is part of my squad.
Fabregas replaced the injured Nemanja Matic in last Saturday’s 1-3 win over Manchester City and did well to assist Diego Costa’s equalizing goal with a stunning lobbed pass.
While the former Barcelona man has had some highs during the campaign, Nigerian midfielder John Obi Mikel has only gone lower from the end of last season.
Mikel is yet to make an outing in all competitions this season under Conte, and the Italian believes that there won’t be a contract extension offered for the 29-year-old, whose current spell ends at the end of the season.
The situation is simple; he’s in the squad and is staying with us and we know that at the end of the season probably his contract is going to expire.
I don’t know what will happen. Now he’s part of this squad. If I have to talk about a contract for players I prefer to talk with my club.
After ten whole seasons in a Chelsea shirt, Mikel is the second-longest serving player in the current team after captain John Terry. Mikel will have the availability to start contract negotiations with a foreign club in January.
