Essien on way to Chelsea, says Lyon chief

Jose Mourinho has finally got his man, it seems, after Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas last night admitted Michael Essien will join Chelsea.

Aulas was adamant just days ago that Essien would be staying with the Ligue 1 champions, but he was persuaded to re-open talks and now claims to have negotiated a deal worth more than £24m (€35m) – the price Chelsea paid for Marseille’s Didier Drogba last year.

Essien has refused to play for Lyon this season and has described his career with the club as “over".

Despite the player’s attitude, Aulas will wish him well in the Barclays Premiership but will hope the midfielder’s performances fall short in another competition.

“I hope he does well, but not too well, because in my view the club he will be playing for will have a good chance to win the Champions League,” Aulas told his club’s TV station.

The deal is not yet complete, and it remains unclear whether a compromise has been reached on the fee, but Lyon have conceded defeat in their efforts to keep the 22-year-old Ghanaian.

“I have done all I can to keep Michael in the squad, without being able to persuade him. It’s difficult for the squad,” said Aulas.

“I have done a lot of work on this project, I have spoken with other directors, the staff and everyone’s been pushing me to make this decision, to let him leave.

The price Lyon had put on Essien is £31m (€45.4m), plus a player, with Tiago reportedly their target.

There has been a considerable discrepancy between Lyon and Chelsea’s valuations of the midfielder which led to a public war of words, Aulas doing much of the jousting.

He seemed to have softened after reaching an apparent compromise with Chelsea, however, and admitted losing Essien had become inevitable.

“It’s a wrench,” he added. “But for the club this is a good deal, the transfer should be superior to that of Didier Drogba and Lyon’s biggest.

“Providing there are no hitches, he will leave. We have had many exchanges (with Chelsea), meetings and there are still some details (to be resolved). It’s an agreement in principle.”

It was immediately reported in France that the deal would be worth somewhere around £28m (€35m), which would break Chelsea’s transfer record – still the Drogba deal.

Aulas was also interviewed last night on Canal+, after Lyon’s 1-1 draw at Marseille, and he said: “We asked ourselves if the right solution was not to let him leave.”

He added: “The offer from Chelsea is very interesting.”

He described Essien as a player “who for the last two months has no longer wanted to play for Lyon”.

Essien refused to open talks over a new contract this week.

“This decision is regrettable, in a sporting and ethical sense,” said Aulas. “Everything has been done to keep him.”