Chelsea FC’s 50 Greatest Players Of All-Time
24. Michael Essien: 2005-14
Michael Essien did not come cheap, and not without press coverage either. After wrangling between the player and the Lyon Club President, Chelsea eventually forked out around £25 million for his services. If people were wondering why the Blues were so keen on Essien in 2005, they knew by the time that 2014 arrived.
With 256 competitive appearances over eight seasons at Stamford Bridge, Essien dominated the midfield as he drove Chelsea to multiple successes. The Ghanaian would have turned out on more occasions, but injuries hampered him at various stages.
Nevertheless, he was still vital to the squad that picked up two Premier League titles, four FA Cups, one League Cup and the Champions League. Personally, he won numerous accolades including the prestigious Chelsea Player Of The Year in 2007. Essien was forceful in the middle of the park and was perhaps the only person who even came close to filling Claude Makelele’s boots.
Furthermore, he was prone to scoring the odd incredible goal as well, making sure that fans were on the edge of their seats each time he lurked near the box.
While he isn’t Chelsea’s greatest ever player, he is certainly worthy of a spot on this list.
Next: #23