John Obi-Mikel says he is yet to decide what his future holds, after his short term contract with Middlesbrough came to an end following their failure to reach the play-offs on the final day of the Championship season.

Since joining the North East club in January on a short term contract until the end of the season, the midfielder has made 19 appearances in all competitions, scoring his first goal for the club in the final day victory at Rotherham.

Despite that win, Derby's victory over West Brom denied 'Boro a place in the play-offs, meaning Mikel could have played his final game for the club, although the Nigerian appears not to be ruling anything out just yet.

Speaking to BBC Radio Tees about a potential return to the Riverside Stadium, Mikel said: “I don’t know, you can never say never. My contract ends and that’s why I’m saying ‘they’ (about Boro).

“If there’s a conversation, OK, fine. It’s a great club, they will find the right players and make sure next season they are in the playoff or automatic promotion.”

It seems however that Middlesbrough may not be the only club considering a move for MIkel for next season, as the midfielder claimed: "I have a few options here and there, there’s a lot of options, you always have to pick the right one and the way you play and what you want to achieve."
Discussing his ambitions for the future, Mikel still feels he can compete at the top, as he added: “I still want to win trophies, I’ll go somewhere where the players, the team, the fans, the staff, want to win.”
The verdict
I think this is something Middlesbrough should look to pursue.
Mikel has certainly impressed since his arrival on Teeside, and his experience and pedigree are up there with the best in the division.
Being able to keep hold of a player of his ability could also provide a much needed boost to the mood for the club's supporter, after the disappointment of missing out on the play-offs.