Here’s how Michael Essien’s wife, helped keep Como 1907 alive

Nii Ayitey Brown 11:39 - 08 June 2026

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Akosua Puni Essien, wife of Michael Essien

Akosua Puni Essien, wife of former Ghana midfielder Michael Essien, played a crucial role in Como 1907's survival after acquiring the financially troubled Italian club in 2017, helping forge a lasting connection between Como and Ghana.

Akosua Puni Essien acquired Como 1907 in 2017 when the Italian club was facing bankruptcy and an uncertain future.
Her takeover provided a lifeline for the club and helped establish a lasting connection between Como and Ghana.
Although her ownership was short-lived, her intervention remains a significant chapter in Como's journey from financial crisis to its modern resurgence.

Long before Como 1907 became one of football's most talked-about projects under Cesc Fabregas and Indonesian ownership, a Ghanaian businesswoman, Akosua Puni Essien, wife of former Ghana and Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien, stepped in when the Italian club was fighting for survival.

In March 2017, Como was facing an uncertain future after being declared bankrupt. Multiple attempts to find a buyer had failed, leaving the historic Italian club on the brink.

At a bankruptcy auction, Akosua Puni stepped in and acquired the club for €237,000. Her bid succeeded after previous attempts to sell the club attracted no successful buyers.

The acquisition immediately attracted international attention. At the time, she spoke of her ambition to rebuild the club and help it return to higher levels of Italian football.

"We already run a football club in Ghana in the second division and it's a good opportunity to give work to young people in the area," she said after taking over the club.

The takeover ensured the team continued operating. However, the challenge proved far more.

Within months, Como encountered fresh financial difficulties. The club struggled with funding obligations, salary payments and registration requirements.

By October 2017, the company owned by Akosua Puni was itself declared bankrupt by an Italian court after failing to meet the financial demands required to sustain the club.

Although her ownership period was brief and ultimately unsuccessful from a business perspective, her intervention was an important chapter in the club's survival story.

At a time when few investors were willing to take the risk, she stepped forward and provided a temporary lifeline to a club facing extinction.

The years that followed brought a new era. Indonesian-backed investors eventually took control and began a long-term rebuilding process.

Former Arsenal, Barcelona and Chelsea star Cesc Fàbregas later joined the project as a player, investor and eventually head coach, helping transform Como into one of Italy's most exciting football stories.

Cesc Fàbregas later joined the project as a player, investor and eventually head coach, helping transform Como.

Through Akosua Puni Essien, Como developed a unique relationship with Ghana. In recent years, club representatives and players have visited Ghana as part of efforts to strengthen cultural and football links between the two countries. A recent visit was cited on June 6 where the team arrived in Ghana.

Cesc Fàbregas’s Como 1907 have arrived in Ghana for a week-long football project 🇬🇭#JoySports pic.twitter.com/rCcHqW7eMo
— #JoySports (@JoySportsGH) June 6, 2026

While Como's current success is the product of significant investment and long-term planning, the story cannot be told without acknowledging the role played by Akosua Puni Essien during one of the darkest periods in the club's history.

She helped when the club was fighting for survival, among the few people willing to step in and give it another chance. And for that reason, her name remains part of Como's modern story, and part of the club's enduring connection with Ghana.

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