'Those boys knew it was too tensed' - Mikel shares inside story on why Salah, De Bruyne quit Chelsea

Former Super Eagles midfielder John Obi Mikel has shed light on the struggles faced by Mohamed Salah and Kevin De Bruyne during their time at Chelsea.

Salah joined Chelsea from Basel in 2014, while De Bruyne made his move to England in 2012 after impressing with Genk in Belgium.

Both players arrived with high expectations, yet they struggled to make an impact in a squad where opportunities were limited.

During their stints, Salah made just 19 appearances for the Blues, while De Bruyne featured only nine times. 

Frustrated by their lack of playing time, both sought greener pastures, with Salah spending time on loan at Fiorentina and AS Roma on loan before sealing a permanent transfer to the Serie A side, and De Bruyne transferring to Wolfsburg on a permanent deal. 

Speaking on the latest edition of The Obi One Podcast, Mikel reflected on their experiences at Chelsea and why they decided to leave.

He noted that the atmosphere in the dressing room was tense due to Mourinho's demanding approach.

“I know I have talked about Mohamed Salah and Kevin De Bruyne when they were at Chelsea,” Mikel recalled.

"Mourinho made Salah cry in the dressing room because he knew what Salah can do. He was trying to get the best out of them." 

Mikel noted that both players recognized they needed to leave to further their development.

"Those boys knew that it was too tensed and need go away to develop," he said.

Reflecting on their subsequent successes, Mikel stated, "They went away, Salah went to Roma and De Bruyne went to Germany.

"And watch them today, the best players in the Premier League."

Salah and De Bruyne both returned to the Premier League a few years later, establishing themselves as top performers.

Salah joined Liverpool after a standout spell at AS Roma, while De Bruyne made his mark at Manchester City following his impressive time with Wolfsburg.

Adeyemi Adewale

Photo Credit: chelseafc.com 

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