Mikel Obi wants Hiddink to stay at Chelsea for next season

Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel

wants interim manager Guus Hiddink to extend his stay at the club beyond the current season, despite the Dutchman confirming his intention to leave the club in May.

Hiddink replaced Jose Mourinho in December and has lost just once in 13 games in all competitions with the same squad that suffered the club’s worst start to a league season since 1978 under the Portuguese.

Mikel, who has featured in 11 games for Hiddink after falling out of favour under Mourinho, has followed Oscar in praising Hiddink’s impact.

“Obviously, definitely I want him to stay,” he said. “It is the choice of the owner, the club and the board… but if you speak to the players, 98 or 99 per cent of them want him to stay.”