Source: Daily_Mail
AC Milan eye £18m bid for Chelsea's Michael Essien
AC Milan are eyeing an ?18million summer move for Chelsea's midfield star Michael Essien. [LNB]The San Siro giants are just one win away from clinching a first Serie A crown in seven years but boss Massimiliano Allegri is already plotting next season's assault on the Champions League. [LNB]The powerful Essien, 28, would inject new athleticism into Milan's ageing midfield, which contains club legends Andrea Pirlo, Gennaro Guttuso and Clarence Seedorf, but all three are in the twilight of their careers.[LNB] I got the power: Michael Essien (right) would add athleticism to Milan's ageing midfield[LNB] Essien has three years left on his current deal at Stamford Bridge and has been a Chelsea mainstay but has missed significant parts of the past two seasons with cartilage and ligament problems in both knees.[LNB] The Ghana star's absence this term coincided with Chelsea's mid-season slump, in which the Blues went on the club's worst run in the league for almost 15 years and saw them crash from top to fifth in the table.[LNB] But Chelsea travel to Manchester United on Sunday on the brink of completing the greatest comeback in Premier League championship history, having clawed back a 15-point deficit on the leaders with a run of 25 points from 27.[LNB] Victory on Sunday would put them top for the first time since November and Essien compared Chelsea's and his own season to a sandwich, vowing the sweetest part was yet to come. [LNB] Ouch: Essien's last two seasons have been affected by injury[LNB] Essien wrote in his blog on Chelsea's official website: 'It has been a sweet and sour season. To use a sandwich analogy: sweet bread at the top, sour filling and more sweet bread at the bottom. We started the season extremely well, had a sour middle part and are now ending strongly. [LNB]'We have hit a good run of form lately and have managed to haul ourselves back into the title race. We have to beat Manchester United at Old Trafford this weekend to ensure we are in the driving seat and I can assure you we are up for it.[LNB] 'The team is playing well and I have no doubt we will give it everything we have to beat Man United.' [LNB]He added: 'It is fair to say it has been a mixed season for me. [LNB] Clock is ticking: Milan great Gennaro Gattuso is in the twilight of his career[LNB]'It started very well for me and, as the team kept winning, my form just got better. But then suddenly my fine form became average for whatever reason. [LNB] 'All I can say is when you hit a bad patch, you think about everything too much. The simplest pass becomes a difficult task because you spend time thinking rather than just letting things flow. When you are on form, you receive a pass and just let it go. But when you are down, you think too much and lose possession.[LNB] 'I am glad to say after many weeks working hard on the training pitch, it suddenly clicked and now we are in with a chance. My season has been a sandwich one too and I am hoping the end will be extremely good.' [LNB] Blues' revival: How Lampard returned to form to become Chelsea's title titanProud Terry revels in delight after playing landmark 500th Chelsea gameLeo's London: Sullivan's stay away was latest in a long line of blundersAll the latest Chelsea FC news, features and opinion[LNB] Explore more:People: Andrea Pirlo, Michael Essien Places: Milan, Ghana
