This archive report was first published on 19 August 2019.
On August 19, 2005, Chelsea made a historic move by signing Ghanaian midfielder Michael Essien from French Ligue 1 side Olympic Lyon in a 38 million pound transfer. The Blues have since celebrated this day by highlighting some of Essien's finest moments at the club.
Among the highlights are an iconic 30-yard Premier League screamer against Arsenal and a stunning goal against FC Barcelona in a Champions League game.
Chelsea FC took to Twitter to commemorate the occasion, posting a tweet that read: 'On this day in 2005, @MichaelEssien became a Blue! epic.twitter.com/D1cwlrN9L5'.
Essien's time at Chelsea was marked by numerous accolades, including two Premier League titles, three FA Cups, and the UEFA Champions League.
