Michael Essien's near miss with Burnley: A tale of £60-a-week

Imagine Michael Essien, the Chelsea legend, playing for Burnley if only the club had been willing to pay him £60 a week.Not £60,000 – just £60. This isn’t a typo. Essien is celebrated for his illustrious career at Chelsea, where he became one of the greatest midfielders of his era.He won two Premier League titles, one Champions League, four FA Cups, and a League Cup at Stamford Bridge.By the time he left in 2014, the £24.4 million Chelsea paid Lyon for him in 2005 was considered a steal.However, Burnley missed the chance to sign him for free just six years earlier.In 1999, Essien had impressed at the U17 World Cup for Ghana, who reached the semi-finals before losing to Brazil on penalties.Essien impressed during a trial with Burnley, then in the third tier of English football, but a strange club rule prevented them from signing him.In 2009, former Burnley chairman Brendan Flood told The People: "I discovered Michael Essien had been on trial here for a few days.""One of the best players in the World Cup – and we hadn’t signed him. The club policy meant we wouldn’t pay an apprentice more...

Rubriques :

Michael Essien's near miss with Burnley: A tale of £60-a-week

Articles similaires

Wolves invite Ghanaian youngster Stanley Quarshie for trials

Wolves invite Ghanaian youngster Stanley Quarshie for trials

Young midfielder Fatawu Ganiwu joins Legon Cities after Chelsea trial

Ghana U-20 Star Emmanuel Mensah joins Norwegian side Sogndal

Chelsea extend striker Jackson’s contract to 2033

Chelsea extend striker Jackson’s contract to 2033

Antoine Semenyo hailed as "absolute star" after standout Bournemouth performance

Zulte Waregem sign Ghanaian youngster Joseph Opoku from Great Corinthians

Man City defender Josko Gvardiol confesses to struggling against Mohammed Kudus

Man City defender Josko Gvardiol confesses to struggling against Mohammed Kudus

Les derniers communiqués