Michael Essien, the former Ghanaian midfielder, is considered one of the greatest players to have played for Chelsea Football Club.
He was a versatile player who could play in multiple positions and was known for his physicality, work rate, and technical ability. However, according to former Manchester United defender and football pundit Gary Neville, Essien was underrated in his first two or three years at Chelsea.
Neville's statement raises the question of how Essien's abilities were perceived during his early years at the club and why he might have been undervalued despite his undeniable talent.
"A player that played at a top Premier League club and didn't get the plaudits of others was Michael Essien at Chelsea in those first two or three years. The impact he had on that team, from his running ability, the energy from midfield, balancing of Frank, I thought Essien was a brilliant player," Neville said.
Michael Essien currently holds both UEFA A and UEFA Elite Youth A licenses and is an assistant coach at FC Nordsjaelland in the Danish Superliga.