Essien out for at least five months

Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien will be out of action for at least five months after rupturing an anterior cruciate knee ligament.

"I spoke to Michael and he's obviously had a bad injury," Chelsea captain John Terry told a news conference in Zagreb ahead of England's World Cup qualifier against Croatia.

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"He was saying it was like five or five and a half months."

The Chelsea website said Essien had sustained the injury playing for Ghana against Libya in a World Cup qualifier last Friday and would undergo surgery once the swelling had subsided.