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Name:	Michael Essien
Nationality:	Ghanaian
Date of Birth:	03/12/1982
Height:	5' 10" (178cm)
Weight:	13st 3lbs (84.0kg)
Previous
Clubs:	Lyon, Bastia
Position:	Midfielder

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Voted last season's Chelsea Player of the Year by supporters, the award recognised not just Michael's trademark steam train performances in midfield but also his ability to provide solutions to a multitude of problems elsewhere in the team. That he was outstanding in central defence during a clean sheet FA Cup Final display tells the tale well.

 

Then there were the special goals! The thunderbolt against Arsenal, one of two equalisers against the Gunners, was voted Chelsea Goal of the Season and was there a more dramatic moment in the campaign than the charge and angled drive in Valencia that sent the Blues into the Champions League semi-final?

 

A protracted transfer, that dragged on almost as long as the 2005 close season, finally came to an end when Michael's former club Lyon accepted a then Chelsea record fee for their star midfielder.

 

The young player had grown to become one of hottest properties in Europe in his two years playing in France's second city.

 

His dominant performances as the team won back-to-back league titles and twice reached the Champions League quarter-finals (losing to Mourinho's Porto on the first occasion) saw to that.

 

A powerhouse player who finds no difficulty in getting around the pitch, he earned the nickname 'The Bison'. 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 Ghana, 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 would never look back.

 

Bastia reached the French Cup Final in 2002 and the following summer Michael 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.

 

An impressive World Cup in Germany followed, where he was Ghana's best player and unfortunate to be suspended for the defeat by Brazil.

 

Continuing that top form right through last season, two months from the end he committed himself to the club until 2012 by signing a new contract.