Here's all you need to know about Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien

17 August 2023 , 08:31

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MICHAEL Essien is a midfielder who played for Chelsea FC.

The Ghanaian has had an impressive career - here's the lowdown.

Michael Essien played for Chelsea and Ghana

Who is former Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien?

Michael Kojo Essien was born on December 3, 1982, in Accra, Ghana, to Aba Gyandoh and James Essien.

He is a former professional footballer who played as midfielder.

He retired from playing in 2020 and the same year joined Danish Superliga club Nordsjælland as part of their coaching staff.

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Essien began his football career at his local team in Ghana, Liberty Professionals, after he graduated from St Augustine's College in the Cape Coast.

After being noticed by European scouts, he had a trial at Manchester United in 2000 and was offered a contract.

However, he was ineligible to obtain a work permit in the UK.

In 2008 he told The Sun: "I grew up in Accra in the city and I was the only boy in a family of four girls.

"That was difficult enough but my dad used to be a footballer and always encouraged me to just concentrate on that.

"All I wanted to do was play and, although we were poor, I used to kick an old ball around in the street with my friends.

"I started taking it seriously at about nine years old but my career really took off when I came home from the Under-17 World Cup.

"Suddenly lots of clubs were interested in me.

"I had always dreamed of playing in Europe and, as a boy, my team were Manchester United.

"When they offered me a one-week trial I just couldn't believe it, I was so happy.

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"I remember being there and thinking 'Wow, this is the biggest club in the world'."

He added: "At the end of the trial, the club said they really liked me and wanted to sign me.

"But they could not sort out a work permit and the move never happened. Instead, I ended up joining Bastia in France before moving to Lyon and then Chelsea."

After a three year stint at Bastia, Essien joined Lyon in 2003, before his famous transfer to the North London club in August 2005.

The £24.4million transfer was one of the longest-running sagas and at the time Essien was Chelsea's most expensive signing of all time surpassing the previous record of £24million for legend Didier Drogba.

Essien, who also revealed that Liverpool had tried to sign him, played 168 times for Chelsea from 2005 until 2014, and scored 17 times.

In 2008 he admitted he was no longer a fan of Man Utd saying: "I am so happy at Chelsea. Now I'm a Chelsea fan through and through.

"I chose the right club."

Essien played alongside such Chelsea greats as Blues captain John Terry, Frank Lampard, Petr Cech, Ashley Cole, and Drogba.

At the club he won Player of the Year and Goal of the Season in 2007.

He secured Goal of the Season again in 2009 and was part of the Champions League winning squad in 2012.

He was also part of the team who won the Premier League title in 2006 and 2010, four FA Cups - 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2012 - and one League Cup in 2007.

In 2023, he turned out at Stamford Bridge again for the Game4Ukraine.

Essien made 59 appearances for Ghana from 2002–2014, scoring nine times.

He made his senior debut in the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations against Morocco on January 21, 2002.

He won a runners-up medal at the contest in 2010, losing 1-0 to Egypt in the final.

He played at the World Cup finals in 2006 and 2014, but missed 2010 due to injury.

In July 2018, Essien announced his retirement from international football.