Having been confirmed as a Panathinaikos player on Tuesday, Michael Essien has taken to Twitter to thank the club’s fans for welcoming him to Greece.

The legendary Ghanaian midfielder moved to Pana on a free transfer, with his contract at AC Milan coming to a close at the end of June.

He confirmed a two-year deal with the domestic giants on Tuesday having arrived in Athens on Monday to complete his medical.

On Wednesday, the 32-year-old took to Twitter to round-off a whirlwind few days by thanking the fans that had made his arrival so special.

“Thanks a lot of the #PAO fans for [sic] welcoming me into the green family,” he began, writing on his @MichaelEssien handle.

“See you soon #PAO”

The Bison had earlier acknowledged the welcome he received when he arrived in Athens on Monday, writing: “Just touched down in Athens and the love from the Panathenikos [sic] fans was incredible. #pao”

While Essien’s departure from the San Siro was not wholly unexpected, Panathinaikos were not always considered as his most-likely destination.

Newly-promoted Premier League side Watford as well as EPL duo Queens Park Rangers and West Bromwich Albion, not to mention FC Dallas, New York Red Bulls and Orlando City Soccer Club had all been linked to the veteran. Similarly, there was interest from Turkish giants Besiktas.

However, Pana made their move early, with Sky Sports Italia reporting recently that the player would be earning €1.1million per season with scope for an increase up to €1.5million with bonuses.

Despite a disappointing spell with Milan, Essien remains one of the most decorated names in European football and his acquisition represents a coup for Panathinaikos.

He notably enjoyed great success at Stamford Bridge, where he won the Champions League in 2012 and has represented the Black Stars at two World Cups and three Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.