For a player who was the bone of contention between two heavyweight teams at the age of 18, many football pundits had predicted he was a star in the making.

As expected, a young John Obi Mikel got off to a bright start at Chelsea making his first start for his team on September 12, 2006.
He had seen his shot saved by Levski Sofia goalkeeper in the Champions League, only for teammate Didier Drogba to tap home the rebound. This marked the beginning of great heights for the young lad.

In his days as a teenager, Mikel had his eyes set on two targets – getting the ball to a teammate in a good scoring position or pulling the trigger himself.

Interestingly! This attacking quality from the young lad fetched him his first set of goals at his new club. Mikel found the back of the net for the first time in his side 6–1 FA Cup victory over Macclesfield Town on January 6 2007. In the following round of the competition, he score again as Chelsea secured 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest.

But in no time, the issue of his lack of attacking flair will come to play, coupled with some unforced errors. Subsequently, so much of Mikel’s important work in his new defensive midfield role was overlooked, yet his flaws never were. But in all of this, Mikel never complained nor protested.

Those sacrifices and a strong dedication to training, keeps him in the team despite a long line of Chelsea bosses. However, having had the highest pass completion in the Premier League in his first three seasons at Chelsea, boasting an impressive 89.93%, Mikel substitute roles increased as the years went by. Despite that, he’s refused to push for a transfer away

Instead, Mikel decided to bring his head down and work harder. This, in no time yielded impressive results as he was again back on the starting line-up in the summer of 2009.

In his holding position, Mikel was in fine form all season and was rewarded with two nominations that season – Chelsea’s best player of the season and Chelsea young player of the season. He went ahead to win the latter back-to-back.

But again, having showed a lot of potential as an attacking midfielder as a teenager, critics couldn’t be appeased with Mikel loyalty to the club. And despite his 21st position on the list of all-time appearances in Chelsea, his long goal drought got many talking.

However, after more than six years without a goal, Mikel’s first Premier League breakthrough came when he volleyed in a Lampard cross, which had been headed down by John Terry in September 2013.

Although Mikel has had his fair share of sitting on the substitute bench, one manager after another still found the Nigerian indispensable. The reason for this isn’t far-fetched – Is ability to stick firmly to his tactical brief.

The Super Eagles midfielder has been there throughout all their recent managers and is now enjoying a renaissance under Guus Hiddink.
In January 2014, Mikel scored his fourth Chelsea goal in the captain armband on his 300th appearance. He then went ahead to get his first goal in the Champions league in Chelsea’s 3-1 home win against Sporting Lisbon. His goal against PSG on Tuesday, January 16, made it his sixth for Chelsea after over 350 appearances.

But even with a goal scoring tally of six goals in as many as over 350 games, Mikel Obi can affirm to be a Chelsea legend.

His total appearance in a Chelsea shirt, which stands at 357 (as at February 22, 2016), may be a million miles short of John Terry’s total rack of 699 or Lampard’s at 648, but the Nigerian has won every single title his more renowned colleagues can lay claim to for the Blues, from the UEFA Champions League to the FA Cup.

He can boast of 2 Premier League titles, 4 FA Cups, 2 League Cups, 1 FA Community Shield, 1 UEFA Champions League and 1 UEFA Europa League.

Mikel has managed to stay relevant in not only the best Chelsea side in the last ten years but also in history. At 28, he certainly has a few more years at the top level to rake in more individual and team honours.

Now, the man who has seen off almost every boss of the Roman Abramovich era at Chelsea is back in trend. Mikel, according to Hiddink is ideal for Chelsea. To see a whole of the club fans united in admiration for him is quite unusual.

A surprise starter has suddenly become surprise role model. Mikel’s resurgence under Guus Hiddink has altered his situation at Chelsea with the club now considering to new deal for him.

So the Blues powerbrokers are now giving real thought to a new Mikel contract? Who still thinks hard work doesn’t pay? Mikel’s alleged new Chelsea deal, comes against the backdrop of rumours that had linked him with moves left, right, and centre, to Turkey or China or wherever else, just before the start of the season.

Mikel had said in an interview in 2012 after winning the champions league: “I want to be a legend in Chelsea. I have set two records since I joined the team – we won a league and cup double and now the Champions League.

“I still have more years ahead of me to play for Chelsea and make more history. I want to be one of the club’s legends.”

One thing is certain! When Mikel finally decides to retire in Chelsea or see out his playing days in a lower league, his place as a
Chelsea legend is secured.

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Op–ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija

Sports writer, Nomso Obiajuru takes a critical look at his 10 years at Chelsea and highlights reasons why Mikel deserves a place in the club’s Hall of Fame.