Michael Essien reveals he rushed to Real Madrid with just boots, shin pads and a tracksuit

Former Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien recently talked about the time he made a last-minute loan move to Real Madrid in 2012. Michael Essien was constantly linked with the Spanish giants throughout the summer of 2012. The combative midfielder agreed to join Los Blancos after a phone call with then-Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho. Chelsea were supposed to face Atletico Madrid in a UEFA Super Cup clash in Slovenia when Michael Essien received a call from Mourinho.

Michael Essien missed the match that Chelsea ended up losing 4-1 as the Ghana international joined Real Madrid later. Michael Essien revealed that the transfer was so quick that he only packed boots, shin pads, a pair of jeans, a t-shirt and his Chelsea tracksuit to jet off to Madrid.

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How the Michael Essien transfer went through

Michael Essien, while talking to GhanaWeb, stated that he received a number of calls from a strange number when he was in a hotel room before the Atletico Madrid clash. Michael Essien ignored the calls but his cousin insisted he answer the calls. Essien later found out that Jose Mourinho was at the other end of the call. 

“Real Madrid were doing their negotiating with my agent and I was on the bus as we were about to leave to the stadium. My agent said he had to send some fax to some people so I had to shout at the bus driver to stop like some mad man. All my teammates were looking at me like: ‘Michael what’s going on?’ The bus stopped and I went back to the hotel to wait for my agent. My agent came and sent the fax and thankfully everything got finalised on time," added Michael Essien

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Michael Essien transfer to Real Madrid happened in no time

Michael Essien then added that he returned to the stadium but the Chelsea vs Atletico Madrid match was over by then. He explained to his teammates that he had to return to the hotel to finish the paperwork as the Madrid deal came up. “After the medals ceremony, we went back to the dressing room where I properly wished them goodbye. I just took my shin pad and boots and that’s it. I said bye to everyone including Roman Abramovich, who wished me good luck," said the 37-year-old Michael Essien. Michael Essien spent just one year at Real Madrid before returning to Chelsea in 2013.

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