Michael Essien has recovered from his knee injury and is fit to start in the new season. Ghana star Essien and Nigeria international Mikel both missed the World Cup due to knee injuries.

Michael Essien hasn't played for Chelsea since being injured at the Africa Cup of Nations in January, while Mikel underwent knee surgery towards the end of the season.

But the pair have now recovered sufficiently to take part in pre-season training with the English champions and Blues assistant manager Ray Wilkins is confident they will be ready for Chelsea's opening league game against West Bromwich Albion on August 14.

Ghana Coach Milovan Rajevac says he has to quickly put behind him Michael Essien’s unavailability for the World Cup and adopt a strategy for the team.

“I am really disappointed that Michael Essien will not be at the World Cup for Ghana as a player,” Rajevac told the Ghanaian FA website.

“He is an important player on and off the field but we can’t use him this time. Essien brings lots of advantages; he brings so many things to the team and always gives us options.”

The Serbian has rallied his charges to lift up their game and show a united front ahead of the global football showpiece this summer.

He said: “It’s most unfortunate. But I hope and believe that the other players will give their best.

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Chelsea's Michael Essien may sacrifice playing for Ghana at the World Cup for the sake of the rest of his career.

Essien, 27, has not played for Chelsea since tearing a hamstring in December. He then hurt his knee on Ghana duty at the Africa Cup of Nations in January.

"If I make it for the World Cup then great - if not I have my whole career ahead of me," he told Chelsea's official website.

"The last thing I want is to rush back and cause more problems down the line."

Essien's last run-out in a Chelsea shirt was against Apoel Nicosia in the Champions League in December.

Jose Bosingwa and Michael Essien are fighting an uphill battle to be fit for the second leg of Chelsea's Champions League first knockout round tie against Inter Milan on March 16. Essien has not played for Chelsea since he suffered a hamstring injury in European action against Apoel Nicosia in December.

More recently has been recovering from a knee problem sustained in January while on international duty with Ghana at the African Nations Cup. The 27-year-old had an operation in January but he is currently still recuperating at a sporting injury clinic in France alongside left-back Ashley Cole, who has a fractured ankle.

Chelsea trail 2-1 after the first leg of the last-16 tie at the Giuseppe Meazza, and it looks unlikely Carlo Ancelotti will have a full-strength squad to pick from as he looks to defeat Jose Mourinho.

Chelsea's Ghanaian midfielder Michael Essien says they've put behind their home ground blues this season.

Essien believes Carlo Ancelotti's side have shown the improvement they have made from last term under Luiz Felipe Scolari, according to Paris En Ligne Foot.

Scolari's side dropped 16 points out of 39 at the Bridge before the Brazilian was sacked in February, whereas this term Chelsea have won all eight home games in all competitions and scored 19 unanswered goals since conceding to Hull's Stephen Hunt on the opening day.

Essien said: “I don't think we are having problems at home like we were last season. It's not the same problem.

“Some teams have come to Stamford Bridge just to frustrate us by putting bodies behind the ball but we have been able to find the solution to that.

“We have shown we can overcome that. This season we have been playing the ball a bit faster, which has really helped us to break teams down.

“What was also important was that we showed the right reaction to what happened at Aston Villa, when we were very disappointed because we weren't focused enough for the set-pieces.”

Burnley owner Brendan Flood has revealed the club failed to sign up a young Michael Essien as club policy prevented them paying his £60-a-week wages.

Chelsea midfielder Essien, 26, is currently rated as one of the best midfielders in the game and cost the club around £26m when he joined from Lyon four years ago.

But Flood, who arrived at Turf Moor as director in 2007, has now revealed that The Clarets could have signed up the Ghana international free of charge if they had been willing to pay a minimal wage.

"I discovered Michael Essien had been on trial here for a few days," he said in The People.

"One of the best players in the World Cup - and we hadn't signed him.

"The club policy meant we wouldn't pay an apprentice more than 60 quid a week.

"It smacked me in the face that the problem was a lack of communication within the club that stopped our youth guys making an exception to the rule."

Michael Essien insists new boss Carlo Ancelotti can help Chelsea achieve their Champions League ambitions.

Chelsea have reached five semi-finals and one final in the last six years and are desperate to win European football's top trophy. Essien believes the Italian coach, who won two Champions League titles with AC Milan, has all the credentials to lead the Blues to glory in Europe.

"We are already enjoying his company and methods," said Essien. "Everyone knows we have been in five Champions League semi-finals in six years and one final. We are desperate to win the biggest trophy in club football and I strongly believe our new boss can help us do it."

The Ghana midfielder added: "He has been there, done it and got the shirt for it and we are already getting the vibe from him. The squad has been together for a long time and we are all yearning and hungry for more trophies."

Chelsea begin their Barclays Premier League campaign under Ancelotti against Hull at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien believes he is now mentally tougher after his injury-hit campaign last season.

The Ghana star was sidelined for more than half a year because of torn knee ligaments sustained while on international duty last September.

But Essien was back with a bang in the closing stages of 2008/09 as he played an influential role in helping Chelsea to FA Cup glory and the UEFA Champions League semi-finals.

The 26-year-old admits he found it difficult to cope with his time on the sidelines, but he feels he has become a better player as a result.

"The injury has actually helped me a lot. I had to be strong to cope with the rehab and all the hard work. I have come back stronger than I was before," he said in the London Evening Standard.

"After coming back from an injury like that I am now tougher mentally. You have to be in order to cope with it.

"I don't worry about the injury now because I'm the kind of person that when I'm on the pitch I forget about everything and just get on with my football.

Chelsea's powerful midfielder Michael Essien is enjoying being back with his team-mates as the Blues undergo their pre-season preparations for the new season, and the player is hoping to carry the momentum of last season's FA Cup triumph into the coming campaign.

"I have had a fantastic break and I am looking forward to the new season already," he told his official personal website.

"I am still buzzing from the FA Cup win and Ghana's back-to-back wins in the World cup qualifiers. 'They were tough games but we came through very well and I am hoping to carry the same form into the new season starting in the US."

As for how the midfielder had spent his summer break, Essien revealed that the time in his homeland had been used to rest and recuperate, ensuring that he would be fresh and ready to step straight back into the serious business of the Premier League.

"It's been good. You cant beat being at home amongst your friends and family. I enjoyed mum's cooking and loved seeing some old pals," he added.

"I slept a lot too as usual so I am fresh and ready to go. I am looking forward to meeting the 'boss' and my team-mates.