Arsenal want Lyon Star

By European Football
January 7 2005

Lyon midfielder Michael Essien has claimed on his own website that arsenal are interested in signing him. He joined Lyon from Bastia in 2003 and has impressed a lot of people since. He will not be leaving Lyon before the end of the season though.

"I'm very happy to see that some great European clubs like Arsenal or Real Madrid are very interested in me,"

"But Olympique Lyon is also a great European club and I won't leave the club this season.

"With my team-members, we have lots of objectives to reach: a fourth Ligue 1 victory, the European Champions League and the French Cup.

"I build my career step by step. I would enjoy playing at a great European club in the future. But now I stay in Lyon, an ambitious club where I can blossom and take pleasure."