Chelsea - Essien deadline looms

Chelsea have been warned by Lyon that they have to agree a deal for midfielder Michael Essien by Monday morning, or they risk losing out on the player entirely.

Essien has openly stated his desire to move to Stamford Bridge, and has played a limited role in Lyon's pre-season campaign as a result.

Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas says he has grown tired of waiting for Chelsea to come up with an acceptable offer for the star, having rejected several bids already.

A swap deal involving Portuguese ace Tiago and ?23million has been mooted, and it seems that the long-running saga will be resolved by the end of the week.