Nigeria midfielder John Obi Mikel says he has no plans to return to Trabzonspor after walking out on the club over their handling of the coronavirus situation.
Mikel posted on social media last week, making his views clear that the Turkish Super Lig should be suspended as Covid-19 spreads.
The former Super Eagles captain contract was subsequently cancelled and he had since returned to his family in England.
They [the club] were really upset about the whole thing,” Mikel told The Athletic.
“I was told to meet with the president in his office one-on-one. He asked me to take [the post] down. I told him I wasn’t going to do that.
“It’s my opinion. This is how I feel. We live in a free world. I have freedom of speech. I can express my opinion.
“I wanted to win the league too but at this point in time, we have to think about what is more important: to save peoples’ lives.
“I want to help in any way that I can to defeat this virus. For us to be out there playing; I don’t think we are helping the global situation. I don’t feel it is right for us to play football.
“UEFA has postponed football. How come they are still playing in Turkey? It’s not right at all. But Trabzonspor was not having it — for me, they don’t care.”
