Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho says he will register Michael Essien for the Champions League in January after the Ghana international hit top form with the Black Stars by helping the Black Stars to qualify for the 2014 World Cup.
The influential midfielder was surprisingly dropped from Chelsea’s squad for the Champions League in August which sparked concerns over his future with the Blues.
Essien has found few first team playing opportunities this season even though he returned to Chelsea full of hope due to the return of Mourinho who signed him on loan at Real Madrid and revived the Ghanaian's career by giving him enough playing time during his five-month spell with the Spanish giants last season.
The Portuguese, who has excluded the midfield powerhouse from most of Chelsea's key matches, handed Essien a starting role in yesterday's Premier League clash with Southampton at Stamford Bridge, a strong indication the Ghanaian could play more influential role in the team in the coming months.
Last Saturday at a press conference, Mourinho said he would register Essien in place of injured Marco van Ginkel when the Champions League registration re-opens next month, when clubs are officially allowed to make minor alterations to their squads.
“I will change Marco van Ginkel with Essien in the Champions League squad list. We are going to try to find balances,” Mourinho said.
“Our squad is our squad. Instead of thinking about the market, we will think about trying to work and trying to improve the team.”
Essien, who made his 251st appearance for the London club since arriving at Stamford Bridge in 2005, was previously a key figure in Chelsea's Champions League campaigns until he dropped down the pecking order during the reign of Italian coach Roberto di Matteo.
He was an unused substitute when the Blues defeated Bayern Munich on penalties to win the 2012 UEFA Champions League title.
