Former Super Eagles midfielder John Mikel Obi has shared insights on why Egyptian international Mohamed Salah and Belgian international Kevin De Bruyne struggled during their spell at Chelsea.

Salah and De Bruyne were part of the Chelsea squad during Jose Mourinho’s second spell at Stamford Bridge but opted to leave after struggling to get game time under the veteran Portuguese tactician.

De Bruyne joined Wolfsburg in the German Bundesliga in 2014, whereas Salah moved to Serie A, joining Fiorentina and Roma initially on loan before sealing a permanent move with the latter.

After leaving Stamford Bridge, De Bruyne and Salah developed into two of the best players in the modern game, joining Manchester City and Liverpool respectively upon their return to the Premier League.

Reflecting on their time at Stamford Bridge, former Chelsea midfielder Mikel Obi attributed the duo’s struggles to the tense atmosphere in the Chelsea dressing room and the high demands of Jose Mourinho.

Speaking on his podcast show, the former Super Eagles captain said:

“I’ve talked about Mohamed Salah and Kevin De Bruyne when they were at Chelsea,” Mikel stated.

“Mourinho made Salah cry in the dressing room because he understood Salah’s potential and was trying to get the best out of him.”

“They knew it was too tense and that they had to move on to grow,” he explained.

“They went away; Salah went to Roma, and De Bruyne went to Germany. And now, look at them—they are among the best players in the Premier League,” he added.