John Obi Mikel has named the former Chelsea teammate he feels didn’t get the recognition he deserved for a stellar career at Stamford Bridge.
John Obi Mikel, who played at Stamford Bridge between 2006 and 2017, shared a dressing room with some of the greatest footballers to ever play for Chelsea.
In the past, the retired midfielder has spoken glowingly about some of the obvious Blues legends. For instance, John Obi Mikel raved about Frank Lampard by explaining that the Chelsea icon was the best trainer he ever witnessed in his career.
Mikel has now shone some light on a former Blues individual who went under the radar.
John Obi Mikel praises underrated Michael Essien
According to Mikel, former Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien deserves more credit for his impact at Stamford Bridge.
When discussing former Blues teammate Essien, Mikel told TNT Sports: “What a player. He didn’t get the recognition that he deserved… We called him the train. When he goes, he’s difficult to stop. Power, speed, technique. Everything, everything he had.”
In 2005, Chelsea signed Essien from Lyon in a £24.4m deal (BBC). He left nine years later as a true cult hero for what he achieved in West London, winning eight pieces of silverware with the Blues.
The retired Ghanaian star was the definition of a Rolls-Royce central midfielder, displaying extreme physicality and bite on a football pitch.
| Appearaces | Goals | Assists | Yellow cards | Red cards | Trophies |
| 256 | 25 | 20 | 44 | 2 | 8 |
Even though the likes of Frank Lampard and Claude Makelele received the limelight for what they did in Chelsea’s midfield in the 2000s, the impact of Essien as the team’s enforcer should not be overlooked.
Peter Kenyon, the former Blues CEO, previously admitted that Michael Essien’s Chelsea transfer was extremely tough to complete, but a deal was finally concluded after long negotiations almost two decades ago.
Moises Caicedo has shades of Michael Essien in his game
In the modern day, Chelsea star Moises Caicedo looks like a blend of so many legendary Blues midfielders, including Essien.
Moises Caicedo shared that N’Golo Kante and Claude Makelele inspired him after watching the former Chelsea defensive midfielders shine at Stamford Bridge.
Interestingly, we can spot similarities between the current Chelsea star and Essien. In particular, they both press exceptionally well and have the versatility to cover several positions, including at right-back.
It’s the tenacity and aggression of Caicedo in midfield that helped him win Chelsea’s Player of the Season this year, playing a massive role in securing the club Champions League qualification as well.
