Former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel has criticized the club’s new players and co-owner Todd Boehly in what has been a disappointing season for the Blues. Boehly took over from Roman Abramovich in the summer and has spent over £600m on players, but the team is currently 11th in the Premier League table and has been knocked out of the domestic cups. Despite remaining in the Champions League, they face a tough test against Real Madrid after sacking Graham Potter as head coach and replacing him with Frank Lampard, their third manager of the season.
Mikel, who made 372 appearances for Chelsea and won numerous trophies at Stamford Bridge, expressed his dissatisfaction with Boehly and the club’s new players in an interview on Friday. He said, “I don’t think anyone can make sense of what is going on. Players are coming in through the door. I read articles that Todd Boehly is looking at Arsenal’s radar and whoever Arsenal is going for. Some players when you look at them, they’re not Chelsea players. Some of them are not good on the ball.”
Mikel went on to criticize the team’s lack of spark and creativity, saying, “When you look at the way the team was playing before Graham Potter got sacked, nothing was happening. There was no spark. Nothing was going on. When you watch the games, you think where are the goals going to come from? Where is the magic going to come from?”
However, Mikel expressed hope that Lampard’s return to the club as head coach could turn things around. “With Frank Lampard coming back, he knows the club. Let’s hope we will start playing well and get some good results,” he said.
Chelsea’s struggles this season have been compounded by injuries to key players such as N’Golo Kante and Christian Pulisic, as well as a lack of form from some of their new signings. Enzo Fernandez, who Chelsea signed for a British transfer record fee of £106.8m, has struggled to make an impact, while Mykhailo Mudryk, who arrived from Shakhtar Donetsk for £88.5m, has yet to play for the club due to injury.
Despite these setbacks, Boehly remains committed to the club and has vowed to continue investing in new players. He recently said, “We are committed to Chelsea for the long term and we will continue to invest in the club both on and off the pitch. We believe in the team and the management and we are confident that they will turn things around.”
Chelsea fans will be hoping that Boehly is true to his word and that Lampard can lead the team to a brighter future. With the Champions League still within reach and the possibility of a top-four finish in the Premier League, there is still plenty to play for this season.