PROFIL : JOHN OBI MIKEL

John Mikel Obi

DI MATTEO: THE PROFESSIONALS

Roberto Di Matteo has been talking about motivation as the league season approaches its final month, and why he has no qualms about using the full extent of the Chelsea squad...

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DAVID LUIZ: HALF-CENTURY AND HAPPY - 07.04.2012

As he prepares to make his 50th Blues appearance, David Luiz looks back on his time at the club with a smile...

DI MATTEO: THREE CONCERNS BUT CONFIDENCE HIGH - 06.04.2012

Roberto Di Matteo will be without injury victims John Terry and Ashley Cole for Saturday's game against Wigan, and admits that Frank Lampard is also a major fitness doubt.

PRE-MATCH BRIEFING: CHELSEA V WIGAN ATHLETIC - 06.04.2012

With the dust barely settled from Wednesday night, it's back to the Bridge again for the first of an SW6 Easter double-header of league games...

BARCELONA TICKET DETAILS ANNOUNCED - 04.04.2012

The ticket selling arrangements for our Champions League semi-final first leg against Barcelona at Stamford Bridge have been announced...

TEAM NEWS: CHELSEA V BENFICA - 04.04.2012

Ramires returning in place of Daniel Sturridge wide on the right is the only change from the side that started the win against Aston Villa at the weekend...

CHELSEA TV HEADLINES: ALL TO COME - 04.04.2012

Gigi Salmon brings you the latest news from a Stamford Bridge buzzing with excitement ahead of our Champions League second leg with Benfica.

PRE-MATCH BRIEFING: CHELSEA V BENFICA - 04.04.2012

After two seasons falling short of the semi-final stage, Chelsea are one good home performance away from reaching the last four of this year's Champions League...

WORDS WITH: JOHN MIKEL OBI - 04.04.2012

Back as a regular starter in the side, John Mikel Obi is in fine form. He is hoping it can help us into the Champions League last four...

DI MATTEO: EXPERIENCED BUT AWARE - 03.04.2012

The state of the tie is very different to this stage against Napoli in the previous round but Roberto Di Matteo is demanding his team approach the second leg in exactly the same way...

RAMIRES: BEATING BENFICA - 03.04.2012

Ramires insists nobody in the dressing room is taking anything for granted as we prepare for Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final second leg against his former side Benfica.

LATEST ARSENAL TICKET DETAILS ANNOUNCED - 03.04.2012

The latest ticket selling arrangements for our Barclays Premier League match against Arsenal have been announced...

FA CUP SEMI-FINAL TICKET DETAILS ANNOUNCED - 02.04.2012

The latest ticket selling arrangements for our FA Cup semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley have now been announced...

LATEST ARSENAL TICKET DETAILS ANNOUNCED - 01.04.2012

The latest ticket selling arrangements for our Barclays Premier League match against Arsenal on Saturday 21 April have been announced...

TEAM NEWS: ASTON VILLA V CHELSEA - 31.03.2012

Didier Drogba is unavailable so Fernando Torres continues in attack. Salomon Kalou keeps his place but Daniel Sturridge replaces Ramires...

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• Stats

Name:	Mikel
Nationality:	Nigerian
Date of Birth:	22/04/1987
Height:	6' 2" (188cm)
Weight:	13st 8lbs (86.0kg)
Previous
Clubs:	Lyn Oslo
Position:	Midfielder

Chelsea careerFollowing quickly on from the purchase of Salomon Kalou in the summer of 2006, the arrival of John Mikel Obi confirmed Chelsea's determination to add exciting young talent as well as established stars to a squad that had just won back-to-back league titles.
Having smoothed out some rough edges both on and off the pitch, manager Jose Mourinho increasingly used Mikel's talent in the holding midfield role, especially when requiring a longer range of passing than other options including the feted Claude Makelele. As a junior Mikel had played more as an attacking midfielder.
Named Chelsea Young Player of the Year, he survived an injury scare the week before the 2007 FA Cup Final to play the whole game. Chelsea beat Manchester United in the first final at the new Wembley.
The 2007/08 campaign saw Mikel continue to grow in the 'Makelele' role, and by the end of it he had played more games than the old master of the position.
There were hitches. An unfortunate sending off at Old Trafford in Avram Grant's first game was followed by another red card in a Carling Cup semi-final against Everton, his fourth since joining Chelsea.
He started the 2008 Carling Cup Final defeat by Spurs shortly after his return from the Africa Cup of Nations but then spent a spell out of the side before ending his second season with respons