Essien faces early retirement

Ghana and Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien could be forced to retire from the game after he suffered a relapse of his knee injury during Chelsea training. Reports from their Cobham training camp suggest that midfielder Michael Essien has seriously damaged his knee.
Essien missed much of the 2008-09 season with a damaged cruciate knee ligament before succumbing to a medial ligament injury at the African Nations Cup in 2010, missing half the 2009-10 campaign and the World Cup.
The club are said to be drafting a statement for release after Essien undergoes more tests from medical staff. The news was first broken on Twitter by former Chelsea player Jody Morris. “Sad news about michael essien…1st day full training aswell,” he tweeted.

“Sorry tweeps…heard he done his knee..cruciate.

Should the feared worst prove to be true, then the Andre Villas-Boas regime would be expected to enter the transfer market for a player in a position where a pool of Ramires, John Obi Mikel and youngster Josh McEachran already looks stretched.
Mikel will not leave Chelsea, says Ebere Obi
John Obi Mikel’s brother and Rangers of Enugu keeper, Ebere Obi said that his sibling will not leave Chelsea contrary to seculations that he would be sold to make way for new signings.
Ebere disclosed that new Chelsea coach Andre Villas-Boas has listed Mikel in his plans for the new season.
“I spoke with Mikel last week about the speculations going on as regards his stay at Chelsea. He told he is still staying put in Chelsea and that he is not going anywhere. So, I don’t know where these speculations are coming from,” he revealed.
“If my brother will leave Chelsea today I will know and I am telling you now that Mikel is not going anywhere. The new coach has listed him on the Chelsea squad for the coming season.”