Former Lyon player, Michael Essien
Former Ghana international, Michael Essien has recounted how Paris Saint-Germain tried to sign him from Bastia.
Essien speaking on Instagram Live revealed that the French Ligue 1 giants revealed that he was left frustrated when PSG made the offer to sign from Bastia but he ended up at Lyon because it was his favourite.
He added that even though the offer from PSG was accepted by the club his desire was to play for the then champions.
“PSG were then serious about signing me to the extent that they made an offer. I was back home at that time, and the call came that PSG had made a bid for me. It was even on national television that I had signed for PSG, which I had not because I was still in Ghana.
“There were a lot of controversies going on between the board and my agent, so when I went back to Bastia, we met with the board members and the president, and I told them I'd prefer to join Lyon, although I liked Paris.
“I was really caught between PSG and Lyon, but my preference was always Lyon. I then spoke to the president and their coach. I gave them my word that when I return from my holidays in Ghana, I'll do everything to sign for them.”
Essien went on to spend two years with Lyon, appearing over 70 times for the French outfit and picking up back-to-back league titles to go with his 2005 Ligue 1 Player of the Year award.
When he did eventually leave France for the blue of west London in a deal that made him the most expensive African footballer in history at the time, Essien became a crucial piece of the Chelsea puzzle.
