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He has explained that he was Manchester United bound until, he was denied a work permit to ply his trade in England, following a successful trial and medical.
"After the U17 World Cup, I had the chance of going to Man United for trials which I qualified but I couldn't get the work permit t work there," he told South Africa based iono.fm.
"That forced me to go to France. I took a different route and went to France."
It would be recalled that Essien after failing to join the Red Devils played for Bastia, Lyon, before he ended up securing work permit to ply his trade in England but this time around for Chelsea, where he would establish himself as a club legend.
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