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Six months out in the middle of last season made it one to forget for Essien, but it was not without its highlights.

The midfielder, nicknamed 'The Bison' by fans in his home country of Ghana, ruptured a cruciate ligament on international duty in early September 2008, and it wasn't until March that Chelsea fans saw him again.

His comeback was a half-hour cameo in the FA Cup quarter-final as Coventry were swept aside, before he landed a starting role in Turin for a crucial Champions League tie against Juventus.

In typical Essien style, he came back with a performance full of running and commitment, weighing in with an equalising goal on the stroke of half-time to dampen home spirits.

Just a few days later he scored on his Premier League comeback too. At first sight it was a stunning half-volley into the top corner, but replays showed a shinned mishit had been enough to earn a 1-0 victory against Manchester City.

Michael's short season continued as he put in a trademark dominating performance against Arsenal in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley, before crashing in the Chelsea Goal of the Season at home to Barcelona.

It looked like that left-footed volley had been enough to send us into the Rome Final, only for Michael's tired clearance to fall at the feet of Andres Iniesta, who powered home.

The season would end on a high though as the FA Cup came back to Stamford Bridge, Essien having played the first hour of the 2-1 win over Everton.

He remains tied to the club until 2013 having signed a new deal in the summer of 2008, and so the story at Chelsea continues into a fifth season for the man voted 2007 Player of the Year by supporters.

The new contract had recognised not just Michael's steam train performances in midfield but also his ability to provide solutions to a multitude of problems elsewhere on the pitch.

Michael followed up an outstanding performance in central defence during a clean sheet 2007 FA Cup Final display with his selection at right-back in the Champions League Final a year later, selected ahead of two specialists in the position.

The occasion in Moscow completed a season when Michael was again in the top four appearance makers although with 15 less starts than the season before. Included that season was his 100th Chelsea game.

Memorable goals are part of the Essien repertoire. His equaliser against Arsenal in December 2006 was voted that campaign's Chelsea Goal of the Season and was nearly matched by a charge forward and angled drive in Valencia that sent the Blues into the 2007 Champions League semi-final.

It was in that competition for French club Lyon that Michael had caught the eye of many in England. A protracted transfer, that dragged on almost as long as the 2005 close season, finally came to an end when his former club accepted a then Chelsea record fee for their star midfielder.

José Mourinho used the word 'multifunctional' and the reported £24.4 million price tag reflected this versatility. He is the most expensive African footballer in the world.

Michael grew up Accra, capital of his homeland, and the city that also gave the world Marcel Desailly.

Unlike the former Chelsea captain, Michael remained in Africa into adulthood, playing for his country at junior levels and beginning his club football at Liberty Professionals.

His profile was raised by a third-place finish for Ghana in the Under 17s World Cup which led to a trial at Man United. But it was to Corsica he went, signing to play in the French league with Bastia.

At first he was used to fill a variety of positions across the defence but could not hold down a regular place. Then injury left a vacancy in midfield and Michael never looked back.

Bastia reached the French Cup Final in 2002 and the following summer he made the move to league champions Lyon for 7.8 million euros.

He was voted Player of the Year in France while at the club and shone as Lyon became one the Champions League's most feared teams, but he made no secret of his desire to move to the Premier League.

Michael's Chelsea debut came as a sub against Arsenal in August 2005, the start of an understated first season in London.