MARSEILLE are plotting a raid on Chelsea for out-of-favour midfield man John Obi Mikel in the January transfer window.
Mikel has fallen way down the pecking order since Antonio Conte took control in the summer.
And Goal.com claim the Ligue 1 giants are keen to rescue him from his Stamford Bridge nightmare.
Mikel, 29, is in the final year of his contract and is due to become a free agent in the summer.
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Chelsea are reported to be keen to recoup some of the £16million it cost to bring him to the club in a controversial transfer tussle with Manchester United back in 2006.
Despite committing nearly 11 years to the club, his days appear to be numbered and he is yet to make an appearance under Conte in any competition this term.
The Nigerian has played 368 games in a Blues shirt and only six players – John Terry, Frank Lampard, Petr Cech, Dennis Wise, Branislav Ivanovic and Didier Drogba – have made more appearances in the Premier League.
He has won two Premier League titles, the FA Cup four times, the League Cup twice, the Europa League and also lifted the Champions League as a Chelsea player.
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But Conte is keen to bring in his own signings and getting one of the old-guard off the books could free up some cash for the Italian to delve in to the market this winter.
They have been linked with Paris Saint-Germain attacking midfielder Javier Pastore, who might well be free to leave the French champions.
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