Ghanaian football legend, Michael Essien, has explained that ex Ivory Coast international, Didier Drogba, played a significant role in making him snub Manchester United for Chelsea.
Mr Essien was in the best form of his life when he was playing for Lyon in France in which he was wanted by many clubs in Europe.
Among the clubs who wanted to sign the African football star then were Manchester United, Tottenham and Chelsea which was a great battle.
During this time in 2005, current Spurs boss Jose Mourinho was the manager at Chelsea and it would be recalled that the Portuguese made his team around African stars.
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Mr Essien said he was in Malouda’s house on that day that Didier Drogba called the Frenchman and asked him about how he could speak with him.
Malouda then gave the phone to Mr Essien in which he spoke with Mr Drogba and the Ivorian made him to understand that he will succeed at Stamford Bridge.
Mr Essien added while speaking with South African reporter Carol Tshabalala that it was a tough decision for him to make then.
He eventually joined Chelsea from Lyon and won the Premier League title in his first season playing for the Blues.
Similar thing also happened during the transfer of Mikel Obi who had earlier agreed a deal with Manchester United, but Jose Mourinho convinced him to make a move to Chelsea.