10. Michael Essien
Andres Kudacki/AP/Press Association Images
Club: Chelsea When Chelsea signed Michael Essien from Lyon for £24.4million in 2005, he became the clubs then-record signing, and inevitably there was immediately a huge amount of pressure on the no-nonsense Ghanaian to justify his price tag. With Claude Makelele a permanent fixture in the Blues holding midfield position, Essien was able to perform his preferred role of box-to-box midfielder, allowing him to contribute both defensively and going forward. And he proved to be the perfect foil for Frank Lampard, unsettling opposition players with his tenacious, tough-tackling style, whilst also being extremely comfortable in possession. Essiens main attribute though was his power, as he looked to dominate the midfield area by out-muscling even the strongest of opponents, and in 2007 he won Chelseas Fans Player of the Year award, whilst also being consistently nominated for World Player of the Year during his most successful years. Those years may have passed now though, as the 31-year-old appears to be somewhat past his best since suffering a dreaded anterior cruciate ligament injury in 2008. Nevertheless, Essien will always be remembered as one of the best ever Premier League midfielders.