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Keep or sell? John Obi Mikel's verdict on every player in the Chelsea squad

Keep or sell? John Obi Mikel's verdict on every player in the Chelsea squad

Telegraph04-06-2025

John Obi Mikel has promised to bring his outspoken approach to this summer's Club World Cup after delivering an exclusive no-holds-barred season audit on Chelsea's players, head coach, sporting directors and owners for Telegraph Sport.
Since retiring from playing, Mikel, who won the Champions League and two Premier League titles with Chelsea, has launched a podcast in which he has not been afraid to dish out praise and criticism in equal measure.
Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson told Mikel to 'shut your mouth' after the former midfielder criticised his finishing last August. But Mikel has continued to give his forthright views and has insisted that will not change when he works for DAZN at the Club World Cup.
Mikel will be one of the pundits on DAZN's coverage of the tournament that Chelsea are competing in and he said: 'You have to be yourself and say it the way it is. I know sometimes people don't like the truth, but the truth is what gets you out of trouble, not into trouble. I will only continue to be myself. Trust me, I'm going to bring the fire.'
Ahead of the tournament, Mikel has exclusively given his verdict on whether to keep, loan or sell each Chelsea player and has graded head coach Enzo Maresca, sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart, and co-controlling owners Clearlake Capital and Todd Boehly.
Find out which players Mikel does not believe are 'Chelsea level', who he believes is the best in the Premier League and the 'mistake' he hopes the club has learned from.
Goalkeepers
Defenders
Midfielders
Forwards
Mikel grades Chelsea chiefs

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Thursday's briefing: Bellingham upsets Tuchel's mother with behaviour
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