Lyon boss raging at Essien saga

LYON president Jean-Michel Aulas has hit out at the ongoing saga involving Chelsea’s bid to sign Michael Essien.

The French champions’ supremo had strong words for the Stamford Bridge outfit and for the player himself, after Essien claimed he is not happy to stay with Lyon.

The midfielder has pleaded with the club to let him leave.

There were reports last week that Aulas had agreed to meet Roman Abramovich this week but for the moment the Lyon president remains defiant: “For the moment there is no meeting. What’s more I never wanted a meeting.

“I agreed, obliged to and forced to, to answer questions but at the moment events do not allow us to meet and things are dead.

“Michael is considered by Gerard (Houllier) as better than Steven Gerrard when he was younger. We are not the ones dictating the price but the people who have the means to are.”

Aulas, who previously stated he will accept no less than €45million (£31million), had little sympathy with Essien’s claims of unhappiness at the prospect of another season in Ligue 1.

He said: “There are many worse things in life - accidents, sick people, unemployed people - and we are making a drama of someone who has excellent working conditions. Someone who has a choice of three clubs, including one with whom he has already won a lot.”