Mikel has been called different names by Chelsea fans
during his decade at Stamford Bridge… many of which are far too rude for us to repeat. However, while he may have got used to the abusive slurs hurled his way by a section of the Stamford Bridge support, it seems the Nigerian midfielder has finally had enough of people getting his ACTUAL NAME wrong. That is why the Chelsea stalwart has just officially changed his name… to Mikel John Obi.
“I want to help the team fight for every point, every win and to win trophies. I also want to help the team qualify for the Champions League again as soon as possible. For 10 years I have been going to the same training ground, the same locker room. It is an amazing club, with an amazing owner. They are like a family to me. It is a place that has become a part of me.”
Mikel, who has 12 months left on his contract, hopes to convince the club to offer an extension but insists he will not hold any grudges if he ends up leaving on a free transfer.
“I have a year left and then we will see what happens,” he said. “If I play well this season, it will help me earn a new contract. I will give 120 per cent every time I’m on the pitch or come off the bench. I will always give my best.
“If Chelsea decides they want to talk, then we will talk. If I have to move on, I’m sure there will be plenty of clubs out there where I can continue my football career. It will be difficult to leave but these things happen. You have to move on one day. My happy memories of Chelsea will never go away.”
For starters, it turns out that he was never actually called ‘Mikel’. The Guus Hiddink favourite was born John Michael Nchekwube Obinna – ‘Mikel’ only became a thing when the Nigerian FA mistakenly used Mikel instead of Michael on his submission form for the 2003 FIFA Under-17 World Championships. As a matter of fact, , joining Chelsea in 2006 he went by ‘Mikel John Obi’ instead of ‘John Obi Mikel.’
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