Michael Essien considers legal action over Ebola rumour

Ghana's midfielder, Michael Essien and his lawyers are considering filing a lawsuit against the Nigerian media outlet that reported he had contracted Ebola.

Online Nigerian newspaper, NewsWireNGR, were the first to publish the story after seemingly duped by tweets from Twitter user @YuryAlkaev – who claims to be a sports journalist.

He claimed that AC Milan had confirmed that Essien had caught the deadly virus.

Essien took to micro-blogging website Twitter to deny the news, and the former Chelsea star is not taking the issue lightly at all.

“I was relaxing on Sunday evening at home when [Milan doctor Rodolfo] Tavana called me with this news, but I told him that it was not true,” Essien said.

“At first I smiled but then not so much because this is not something to be trifled with. I have spoken to my lawyers to figure out what can be done.

“You cannot invent news, I do not have Ebola.”