Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich appears to have kept the Blues' pursuit of Michael Essien alive - with a dramatic telephone call to Lyon's president. Jean-Michel Aulas, after Lyon's win over Strasbourg, said he had rejected a new Chelsea offer for the 22-year-old.

He added that Lyon were now "closing the door" on the long-running saga.

The events of Sunday evening continued the summer's most drawn-out transfer.

Chelsea had bids of ?10m, ?16.75m, ?18m and ?21m turned down for the midfielder before the latest offer, thought to be ?21m plus Portuguese international Tiago, was rejected.

Aulas has consistently said he would sell Essien, last season's French player of the year, only for ?31m.