This Chelsea star is being treated disgracefully: Antonio Conte should show him respect

STAR names have been frozen out of their clubs left, right and centre so far this season.

By Marc Williams

John Obi Mikel deserves better than his current situation at Chelsea

The Premier League is laden with new mangers and some players just haven't cut the mustard in the eyes of their club's current incumbents.

Bastian Schweinsteiger at Manchester United, Cesc Fabregas at Chelsea, Yaya Toure at Manchester City - all fine players with qualities to offer but not getting a look-in.

Everton's Oumar Niasse, Mamadou Sakho at Liverpool, Arsenal defender Mathieu Debuchy, all cast aside by the respective bosses.

But another player whose Premier League career is burning out to a sorry end and one who does not deserve such a fate is John Obi Mikel.

While some other clubs owe their ailing stars very little, the Blues should be indebted to Mikel's 11 years of Stamford Bridge service.

Mikel would rarely be touted as a Chelsea legend but why not? His contribution to the club should not go understated but as a quiet, go-about-his-business defensive midfielder, he has seldom received the plaudits he should have.

The Nigerian has, however, won everything in the game with the west Londoners, a glittering club career that boasts two Premier League crowns, four FA Cup trophies, two League Cups and both a Champions League and Europa League winners medal.

A player with such a CV would usually be hailed as a legend and given a farewell to match such a status. But, for one reason or another, Mikel is not held in such esteem.

Mikel won a bronze medal with Nigeria at the Brazil Olympics over the summer and returned to the Chelsea squad late and unfit at the start of the new domestic season.

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte has frozen John Obi Mikel out this season

That sat uneasy with new Blues boss Antonio Conte and the Italian has ignored Mikel ever since.

Conte's decision to shell out £30m on N'Golo Kante in the last transfer window hasn't helped Mikel's cause either.

But with the hectic work load modern clubs must undertake these day, Mikel would have been forgiven for thinking he would have warranted some sort of a run out by this point in the season.

He played a key role in stabilising Chelsea again in Guus Hiddink's interim stint as manager following Jose Mourinho's humiliating departure last December.

He started almost every league game of Hiddink's brief time in charge, helping to swerve his side away from the threat of an unthinkable relegation.

John Obi Mikel in action for Chelsea last season

Now at 29, he should still have plenty left in the tank to offer a top side.

But instead, transfer rumours are mounting that Mikel will be dumped by Conte as soon as the January window opens.

In a recent interview, Mikel revealed that Conte has not held talks with him at all this season over his Chelsea future.

Mikel also claimed that the Blues boss kept him in the dark over what his role would be at the club during the summer.

Mikel should not be treated like this and the fact that his club are allowing it is verging on disgraceful.

He has never been the goalscoring superstar or exciting headline maker of recently departed Chelsea legends such as Frank Lampard or Didier Drogba.

But has still been just as key to Chelsea's successes over the past decade and his career in England should not just flicker out into insignificance before a winter departure.

Modern football is a cut throat business and everyone knows there's no room from deadwood.

But Mikel deserves better and some sort of recognition for the outstanding contribution he has given to one of England's biggest and most successful clubs should be paid.

dailystar.co.uk