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Ghana
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Michael Essien
10/04/2006: It is hard to believe that Ghana's Michael Essien is just 23 and that is testament to the fact that he has already built a reputation as one of the most powerful midfielders in world football.
Teams were queuing up to get the Accra-born star's signature after he spent just two seasons at French champions Lyon.
He was voted player of the year by France's National Union of Professional Footballers last season after scoring one goal in every two Champions League games.
In the end he went to the highest bidder, which not surprisingly was Chelsea owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich.
After a bitter dispute during which Essien "went on strike" from the French champion's team, he headed to Stamford Bridge for an undisclosed fee thought to be in excess of the £24 million paid for club mate and fellow African Didier Drogba.
He has just got on quietly with his job, playing in a slightly more defensive role at Chelsae than in his Lyon days, but he has been an ever present in a Chelsea squad packed full of international talent.
And the more he plays the more the English press will pick up on his abilities: strength, pace and almost unrivalled energy levels.
Ghana
Michael Essien (10/04/2006)