Former Ghana international, Michael Essien has told an intriguing story of his transition from playing as a defender to becoming a midfield maestro.

Essien initially started his career as a centre back, representing the national team in that position until he ventured into European football, where his trajectory took a significant turn.

Despite starting as a centre back and even undergoing a trial at Manchester United in that role, Essien found himself making an unexpected shift.

The pivotal moment occurred during his time with his former club, Bastia.

A midfield injury prompted the team's coach to deploy Essien as a makeshift midfielder, a decision that would alter the course of his playing style.

Recalling the incident, Essien explained, "I started off as a centre back from 14, 15 years and the national under 17s. When I came to Europe I came to Bastia, and I even went to Manchester United; Sir Alex Ferguson remembers that very well."

The Ghanaian footballer continued, "When I went to Bastia, one of our midfielders got injured, and the coach asked me if I could play there, and I said yeah I can."

"I stuck there after that game. When you start from the back, you can read the game very well, so when I moved into the middle it's nothing new for me," Essien concluded.

Essien's versatility and adaptability allowed him to seamlessly transition from defence to midfield, ultimately establishing himself as a formidable force in the heart of the pitch as a midfield maestro.

The former Chelsea player won the UEFA Champions League, two Premier League titles as well as two Ligue Un titles with Lyon.

Really cool video of @MichaelEssien
explaining how he became a Midfield General.

Happy Birthday Champ????pic.twitter.com/KIcDiTzDmY

— George Addo Jnr (@addojunr) December 3, 2023