Besiktas may help Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel in providing an escape route when the transfer window open in January.
The Nigerian international has seen his first team appearances being limited in the last few seasons. He has dropped down the pecking order behind Cesc Fabregas and Nemanja Matic. He started in only one Premier League game and has made overall three appearances this season.
In 2014-15 season, Mikel made only six league starts. Lack of playing time at Stamford Bridge saw him attract interest from the Turkish club, who made an approach for his signature in the summer transfer window.
However, the deal did not progress as Besiktas president Fikret Oman revealed his manager Senol Gunes had second thoughts about the midfielder. The club chief now says Mikel could still join them in January as they are set to make another move at the start of the next year.
“If Gunes had given the go-ahead we were going to sign Mikel (last summer), and we could enter the race again over the winter break,” Oman explained, as reported by the Evening Standard.
Jose Mourinho has hardly used Mikel in the last two seasons in the centre of the park. The arrival of Fabregas from Barcelona last summer has seen him drop further down the pecking order. The former Arsenal captain was instrumental in helping the Blues win the title last season.
Fabregas has struggled to replicate last season’s form this term and he has joined host of players at Stamford Bridge with lack of form. The former Real Madrid manager decided against investing in signing quality players in the summer transfer window, which has seen them sit in the second half of the league table after eight matches.
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