I Can Bring Winning Mentality To Stoke City – Mikel Obi

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I Can Bring Winning Mentality To Stoke City – Mikel Obi

Former Chelsea midfielder Mikel John Obi has stated he can impact a winning mentality onto Stoke City after joining the club on Monday.

The 33-year-old Nigerian has been a free agent since his contract with Turkish Super Lig side Trabzonspor was terminated in March which is believed to be due to speaking out against the club for going on with league fixtures in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

Mikel is looking to get down to immediate business in Staffordshire and wants the Potters to win on a consistent basis. Stoke finished the 2019-20 Championship season in 15th place, eight points clear of the relegation zone.

“I can bring that winning mentality into this team,” he said on the official Stoke City YouTube Channel.

“There is always a way to win, we need to find that way. That mentality needs to come into the team, it’s all about winning week in, week out, and that’s something I’ve done all my life at Chelsea and if I can bring that experience and winning mentality here, I’d be very happy.”

Mikel also admits he shares the same ambition as Stoke which is a return to the Premier League which they last played in during the 2017-18 season when they went down with Swansea City and West Bromwich Albion.

“I’m excited. I’ve been talking with the club for a week, talking to the manager trying to know exactly what the ambition of the club is and also my ambition what I want to do as a player. My ambition and the club’s ambition seem to be pretty much the same,” he continued.

“I’m excited to see where we can go with this partnership, I’m here to help the club, get promoted, I think this club belongs to the Premier League, that’s where it should be.

“I’ve spoken to a few clubs, but after speaking to the manager, he told me what he wants and the ambition is something I want, I still want to win, achieve something and after talking to the manager I decided this is the right place for me to continue my career.”