Legendary Black Stars midfielder, Michael Essien, has shared details on how Jose Mourinho convinced him to join English Premier League side, Chelsea.

According to him, the President of the Olympique Lyon Football Club in France was not willing to let him leave for Stamford Bridge due to his excellent performances that helped the team.

Essien disclosed that he was hesitant about the move until he had a phone call with then Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho, who explained how the move would upgrade his career in terms of titles.

The former Lyon player noted that his dream of playing in the English Premier League also played a key role in his decision to join the Blues.

In a video shared on X, Essien said, "When I moved from Bastia to Lyon in my second season, that's when Chelsea came in. That was when Mourinho took over at Chelsea in his second year. And then he said he wanted me to come to Chelsea. I was happy because my dream was to play in the Premiership. I just said yes straight to him.

"But it was very difficult because the Lyon president didn't want me to leave. So it was a long transfer saga, but they managed to seal a deal and I was happy to come to England. The Premiership is more or less like playing in Africa because of the contact, and the game is faster in England than in Africa."

Essien joined the Blues for £24.4 million, making him the most expensive Chelsea player in the 2005 transfer window.

Essien enjoyed a successful spell at Chelsea, winning two Premier League titles, four FA Cups, the League Cup, and the UEFA Champions League.

Watch the video below:

Michael Essien reveals his first shock when he arrived in England to play for Chelsea.#Ghana #Chelsea pic.twitter.com/wUgpYRAosm

— Ibrahim Sannie Daara (@SannieDaara) November 10, 2024