Joel Obi has been told in clear terms by the management of Italian Serie A side Torino that he is free to leave the club in the summer as he is presently not a key player in the plans of coach Walter Mazzari for next season.
Obi started last season like a house on fire for Torino by scoring goals and posting man of the match performance in about four of the many games he played in the first stanza of the league under coach Sinisa Mihajlovic.
The axing of Mihajlovic and subsequent appointment of Mazzari brought about a change in his fortune at the club as he lost his starting spot even before suffering from the injury which further reduced his playing time at the club towards the end of last season.
Mazzari would be willing to retain the 27 year old if he plays to his true potential at the World Cup in Russia, where he will represent Nigeria and also if the club fail to land their preferred target in midfield ahead of the start of next season.
Torino are however open to the idea of letting him leave with the fee from his transfer fee expected to be invested in other parts of the team which is in need of strengthening.
Daniel Martins
