[ads1]
Former Black Stars midfielder Michael Essien has disclosed that he nearly joined Liverpool in 2002.
According to the 37-year old, Liverpool were interested in signing him but he opted to stay at Bastia in the French Ligue 1.
His outstanding performance for the Ligue 1 outfit even attracted offers from the likes of PSG and even Olympic Marseille but couldn’t join any of the sides as Bastia were not ready to sell him.
[ads2]
Essien disclosed that he even held talks with the then Liverpool manager Gerrard Houllier but couldn’t join the English Premier League outfit.
“I had lot of offers. I was close to signing for Liverpool when Gerard Houllier was their coach,” Essien side Sabail, said on ConvosWithCarol.
“I even went to Melwood to meet the coach. We had a talk and I returned to France but the offers were still coming.
“PSG, Olympique Marseille et al, but I told Bastia I don’t want to move and they also didn’t want to sell me at that time because they wanted me to stay for another year which was fine with me because I also didn’t want to leave the club so I stayed for another season, that’s my third year with the club.
[ads3]
“Olympique Lyon joined the three aforementioned clubs to enquire about me but I thought it was too early to move to England.”
“Lyon were my favourite team when I went to France because they were winning everything I told my agent that if Lyon has come into the picture I’d like to join them.
“PSG were then serious about signing me to the extent that they made an offer. I was back home at that time and the call came that PSG had made a bid for me. It was even on the national television that I had signed for PSG which I had not because I was still in Ghana.
“There were a lot of controversy going on between the board and my agent so when I came went back to Bastia, we met with the board members and the president, and I told them I’d prefer to join Lyon though I liked Paris.
[ads4]
“I was really caught between PSG and Lyon but my preference was always Lyon. I had then spoken the president and their coach.
“I gave them my word that when I return from my holiday in Ghana I’ll do everything to sign for them but It was not easy”, he concluded.
Michael Essien currently plays for Azerbaijani outfit Sabail.
