Michael Essien has beaten the 11pm UK time close of the transfer window to complete a loan switch to Real Madrid.
The Ghanaian was left out of Chelsea’s UEFA Super Cup squad tonight amid reports that he was on the verge of a departure.
Arsenal were expected to be his destination, before late reports suggested that Jose Mourinho was pursuing the player for Los Blancos.
Mourinho has subsequently managed to attract the player to the Spanish capital, with Real confirming via a brief statement on their site that the player has joined on a season-long loan deal from Stamford Bridge.
This is the second time that Mourinho has signed Essien, having originally brought the player to Chelsea in 2005 from Lyon.
