As the transfer window for the season closes, Chelsea FC's midfielder Michael Essien took a surprise move by moving to Real Madrid on loan for a season.
The 29-year-old midfielder from Ghana, who was one of the key players for Chelsea until he was hit by knees ailments, will replace Lassana Diarra. He will also reunite with his former manager Jose Mourinho at Stamford Bridge.
The Chelsea midfielder was signed for £24m from Lyon in 2005 and featured for the team in almost all the crucial matches. However, cartilage damage to his knees kept him out of action of late. He was not included in the squad that played against Atletico Madrid for the European Super Cup yesterday, which Chelsea lost 1-4.
It is reported that Chelsea have also loaned out Yossi Benayoun to West Ham, Gael Kakuta to Vitesse Arnhem and Nathaniel Chalobah to Watford. It was also reported that Daniel Sturridge would be loaned out if the team managed to sign Bayer Leverkusen's Andre Schurrle but that did not happen.
Meanwhile, Chelsea has roped in big names like Fernando Torres, Eden Hazard, Marko Marin, Oscar Dos Santos, Cesar Azpilicueta and Victor Moses but Matteo Di Matteo was still not satisfied and reportedly planning to sign a couple of players more before the EPL transfer window closed on August 31 but in vain.
Sports World reported that Chelsea had offered £16 million for German striker Andre Schurrle but Bayer Leverkusen had reportedly turned down the offer. The deal didn't work out.
