Middlesbrough of England midfielder, John Mikel Obi could be on his way to another club in the English Championship this summer, as a well-scripted survey has revealed that the Super Eagles’ captain is still under the radar of Aston Villa.
Footballlive.ng gathered that Villa had tried to snatch Mikel before he joined Middlesbrough, hoping the presence of his former teammate at Chelsea, Nigerian-born striker, Tammy Abraham at Villa Park would convince him to make the move.
However, with Villa now lying law at 13th of the Championship log, while Mikel keeps churning out brilliant performances for Boro, the hunt appears on again for him to turn up in Birmingham.
This is the crux of the latest survey on Mikel’s huge impact so far at The Riverside, which notes that while Villa tried and failed to sign the 31-year-old star before he moved to Boro, The Villans are ruing their miss, especially with Dean Smith’s side now struggling for form at the back.
The survey states in part: “Mikel has been quietly brilliant in his five Championship games so far, immediately establishing himself as a key player for Tony Pulis’s Boro side.
“Villa continue to look far less than the sum of their parts under the former Brentford boss and, shockingly, have the third worst defensive record in the division.
“Mikel, who offers a sheet of steel in front of the backline with his experience and composure helping those behind him, could have solved their Achilles heel.
“Fortunately for Aston Villa, they might soon have a second chance to bring the veteran Nigerian to the Midlands.
“His short-term contract at Middlesbrough expires in July and he will soon be available on a free again.
“While Mikel might be keen to stay in the North East, Aston Villa must try again. He could be their missing link.”
