Melbourne Victory have confirmed they are chasing former Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien as a guest marquee for the Hyundai A-League 2016/17 season.
“Melbourne Victory can confirm it has made enquiries about securing former Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien as a full season guest marquee player for the 2016-17 A-League season,” a Victory spokesperson said in a statement.
“Essien is one of a number of high-profile foreign players the club has investigated during the pre-season, as it looks to bolster its squad for the upcoming campaign.”
Essien, 33, spent last season at Panathinaikos but made just 13 appearances as injuries saw him miss the vast majority of the first half of the Greek Super League campaign before being released at the end of the season.
The Ghanaian has struggled to stay fit in recent years, with injuries also affecting his 18-month stint at Milan where he played just 20 league matches.
At his peak, Essien was considered one of the best midfielders in the world, winning the 2005-06 and 2009-10 Premier League titles with Chelsea, plus four FA Cups and the Champions League in 2011-12.
