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Former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel has reignited debate over his acrimonious Stamford Bridge exit, pinning the blame squarely on manager Antonio Conte in a candid new interview clip circulating widely on social media.
In the footage seen by Truth Live News, Mikel detailed how his relationship with the Italian coach collapsed almost immediately after Conte took charge ahead of the 2016-17 season.
“Antonio Conte was the reason I left Chelsea,” Mikel stated.
“As soon as he arrived, he told me I wasn’t going to play anymore because N’Golo Kanté was joining.
“The tension escalated when Mikel, alongside compatriot Victor Moses, received a call-up to represent Nigeria at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
According to Mikel, Conte issued a stark ultimatum: prioritize the club or face permanent exclusion from the first team. “If you go, you won’t play for this club again,” Mikel recalled the manager saying.
Mikel chose national duty, helping Nigeria secure bronze, but returned to a frosty reception. He claims he was sidelined, forced to train with the reserves, and largely ignored for months. Though Conte later approached him about a potential return amid Chelsea’s mid-season struggles, Mikel had already decided to move on, departing for Chinese club Tianjin TEDA in January 2017 after more than a decade at the club.
Mikel, a key figure in Chelsea’s Champions League-winning squad of 2012 and multiple domestic triumphs, maintains no lasting bitterness but stands firm on his version of events.
