Michael Essien, the former Black Stars midfielder on this day signed a five-year deal with England based football club Chelsea for a record deal of £26m from French Ligue 1 side, Lyon in 2005 after making 71 appearances and scoring seven goals the team.
The Lyon team was keen on keeping the exceptional midfielder, but the offer made by Chelsea was irresistible. According to the president of Lyon, Jean-Michel Aulas, the sudden change in Essien when the deal was presented had a great influence on their decision sell him.
“I noticed for two months we have paid a player that doesn’t play and who sulks, even seeming desperate that he is not in England already”. “I also noticed our fans couldn’t stand that situation. The shareholders also asked if it was not better to get the benefits of that transfer. We have the feeling we cannot keep a player if he wants to play somewhere else”, Aulas has said.
“Do contracts still have a meaning? The right solution would have been to not let him leave. Michael Essien took the problem in the wrong way for two months”. “It is true Chelsea did make an important offer on a financial level, even if it penalises us on a sporting level. The club who have Michael have more chance of winning the Champions League. We did everything to try to keep him. It is heartbreaking”, he added.
Michael Essien’s transfer to Chelsea was one of the highest transfer fees after that of the £28m paid for Juan Sebastian Veron in 2001 and the £29m million paid for Rio Ferdinand by Manchester United. After his move to Chelsea, Michael Essien appeared for the England side 168 times, scoring 17 goals.
His football improved with time at Chelsea and became one of the fan favourites of the club. He won two Premier League titles, four FA Cups, one League Cup, one Community Shield and one UEFA Champions League.
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Edem is a writer and loves to read. He believes that writing is an instrument of expression and an advocator of ideologies that can cause significant changes to our current dispensation and the future.
