Cape Town - Nigeria international Jon Obi Mikel has revealed that he would consider a move to Major League Soccer if that means he can once again line up against former Chelsea team-mate Frank Lampard.
In a exclusive interview with Goal, Mikel has confirmed that he hasn't been offered a new Chelsea contract and since he is in the final year of his current deal with the Blues, he is allowed to speak to other clubs in January.
Since leaving Chelsea in 2014, Lampard has been an influential player for his American team, New York City FC, and has scored 18 goals for Patrick Vieira's side since his arrival.
"There was absolutely no doubt that Frank wouldn’t go out there and succeed," Mikel told Goal.
"I am happy that he is back to his best, doing what he loves to do and, one day, who knows, I may go over there and play with him, or play against him.
"The first few months or so, it was a bad period for him and he didn’t have the best period out there. They started raising questions here and there about his fitness and what he actually came to do in America.
"I think we, here [at Chelsea], knew he wasn’t fully fit then, but once he became fit, we can see a different Frank Lampard, the Lampard we know, scoring goals and helping the team. I think Frank will never stop scoring goals. I think when he is asleep he is still scoring goals."
Since Lampard left Stamford Bridge two years ago, Mikel is now Chelsea's second longest-serving player after captain John Terry, but admitted that it is unlikely that he will feature much for Antonio Conte's side.
"I know it is going to be difficult for me to get back into the team because I have missed the whole pre-season," added Mikel.
"The manager obviously has his philosophy of the way he wants to play and I need time to get back into the way in the way he wants to do things.
"It will be difficult, but it is one challenge that I am looking forward to. Like everyone knows I don’t run away from a challenge.
"I have been at Chelsea for 11 years now, the first day I came I was fighting for my place and I am still fighting for my position.
"It is remarkable at the end of the day how you fight and you still end up coming out victorious and I will keep fighting for my position and hopefully I will get back into the team."