Michael Essien has confirmed that he is excited about life in Greece, having signed for Athens giants Panathinaikos earlier in the transfer window.

The Ghana midfielder ended an unhappy spell at AC Milan by signing for the Greek heavyweights, and arrives in the Super League as one of the most decorated players to move to a club in the southeastern European nation.

“It was a good move for me to go to Greece,” the Black Star began, speaking to The Guardian,

“[Panathinaikos] is one of the biggest clubs there and I’m really looking forward to it.

“I just want to play football. For me it’s all about football.”

When asked about his future plans, the midfielder admitted that he was hoping to spend more time with his family: “I’ll take my kids to school,” he continued, “I miss them when I’m away.”

The 32-year-old arrives in Greece having enjoyed great career success and having featured for some of the genuine giants of the European game.

While he may have endured barren spells at Milan and Real Madrid, he was a two-time Ligue 1 champion with Olympique Lyonnais.

His greatest success, however, came at Chelsea, where the midfielder developed into a world-class operator, winning two Premier League titles and lifting four FA Cups, becoming the first Ghanaian to win the historic club competition in the process.

He also won the Champions League in 2012, and will look to add to his honours-tally at Pana, who last won the Greek Super League in 2010.