With the recent news that Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien won’t see any action for at least six months following a knee operation, the red tops have began their campaign to replace the Ghana International in earnest. Essien had ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus during pre-season training and was forced to undergo surgery. It seems as though the 28-year old has developed a frustrating habit for picking up long-term injuries with his knee in particular being a problem.
Back in 2008 Essien was sidelined for more than six months after rupturing an anterior cruciate ligament. He would later miss the 2010 World Cup as a result of knee problems. Given Essien’s injury problems over the years, could his Chelsea career be in genuine jeopardy?
The Sun suggests that Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas is considering making a move for Porto’s Joao Moutinho thanks to fears surrounding Michael Essien’s future. I would first question whether Chelsea really need to bring cover in for this area of the pitch. Can’t the likes of Ramires or John Obi Mikel fill in where necessary? If not, do Chelsea really need to splash the kind of cash that Moutinho would set them back?
Joao Moutinho is rated at £35m, but why not opt for a player like Scott Parker who would be available for much cheaper and still provide excellent cover for Essien whilst he’s out injured.
As for Essien, he’s developing a bad reputation; I’ve even seen him labelled by some as ‘the new Hargreaves’. At 28-years-old, is it likely that he’ll be able to put his injury problems behind him? Whilst he can’t be blamed for incurring these injuries, he’s something of a cash drain for Chelsea when he’s not available to play.
Yet his situation is different from that of Owen Hargreaves. Michael Essien has offered Chelsea much more than Hargreaves was ever able to give to Manchester United. His character, spirit and ability have been Chelsea’s saving grace on numerous occasions throughout his time at the club and he deserves to have the club stand by him. What’s more Owen Hargreaves, at 30 years old, who hasn’t played regular football for almost three seasons now, may never rediscover his best form.
I just can’t see that being the case for Michael Essien. He still has plenty to offer Chelsea and when he’s fit he remains one of the best midfielders in European football.
Follow @ThePerfectPass on Twitter for details on all the latest updates and various football-related musings.
ThisisFutbol.com are seeking new writers to join the team! If you’re passionate about football, drop us a line at “thisisfutbol.com@snack-media.com” to learn more.
To have a peak at the top SEVEN available FREE TRANSFERS this summer, click here.
Or to have a look at 10 ways a football lover can spend this summer, click here!
I regard him as d best player for Chelsea when fit. As a man utd die-hard, I can boldly say dt d swing in Chelsea’s fortune in recent time was partly due to Essien’s injury woes
He was the best box-to-box player in the world, but injuries have knackered him, unfortunately. He’s had serious injuries and it has got to the point where it’s more likely to ruin his career than the hope that he will fully recover.
Death of the Bison. So sad.