Essien signs new five-year with Chelsea worth £20m to end Mourinho's hopes

Michael Essien has agreed a new £20million five-year contract with Chelsea. New deal: Essien has signed a reported £80,000 a week contract The Blues have moved quickly to stave off interest from Inter Milan manager Jose Mourinho. The Ghana midfielder, 25, had signed a five-year contract just 18 months ago but Chelsea did not want to take any chances and reports in The Sun suggest they have offered him a year’s extension to 2013 in a deal worth £80,000 a week. A source close to Essien said: 'Michael is delighted with the new deal. It’s true that as soon as Jose Mourinho took over at Inter he made it clear he wanted Michael in Milan. But a new deal had almost already been agreed with Chelsea.' Essien has been one of Chelsea’s most consistent performers after arriving from Lyon three years ago in a £24.4m deal and is central to... [read full story]