LONDON (SW) - Ghana and Chelsea’s midfielder Michael Essien has signed a new five year contract with the London based club.

The new deal is rumoured to be worth ₤80 000 a week.

The deal is guaranteed to last five years until 2013.

Despite only having been offered a new contract in 2007 the new deal was seen as a way in keeping the twenty five year old player from moving to his former manager Jose Mourinho at Inter Milan.