Despite being heavily linked with a move to Ligue 1 club Marseille, Chelsea midfielder John Mikel Obi is still keen on impressing coach Antonio Conte.
Mikel Obi has not featured for Chelsea this season under Conte and has been told he can leave the club.
There have been reports that Conte has been leaving the midfielder out of the team to punish him for playing in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games for Nigeria.
Mikel, however, does not want to give any excuses neither is he regretting playing at Rio 2016.
“I am not that kind of person who wants to find excuses, nor I’m trying to escape responsibilities,” the midfielder told Italian football news site Calciomercato.
“I still want to train hard and convince Conte to change his mind, if that doesn’t happen let’s see what is going to happen in January.
“People may think that Conte is angry at me because I did not take part in Chelsea’s pre-season training camp, but I wouldn’t swap my bronze Olympic medal with a starter spot in Chelsea’s XI.
“I do not regret to have played the Olympic Games with my national team. I wouldn’t swap that medal with a regular spot at Chelsea.”
Marseille is reportedly ready to break the bank to sign Mikel Obi in the January transfer window.
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