According to the website, myghanafootball.com, Ghana national team player Michael Essien has had surgery to his toe.

Medical sources indicate that it would take him at least 14 days before he can kick a ball and as a result, the midfielder may not be match-fit before Ghana's first game against Italy on June 11. He is also likely to miss Ghana's pre-World Cup friendlies against Turkey, Jamaica and South Korea.

Essien has been missing from the Black Stars training camp in the Austrian village of Seeboden, but no official explanation has been given by the Ghana Football Association (GFA)

Essien is suppose to have played with this injury for his club Chelsea, until the premiership was won.