Michael Essien Released by Persib Bandung

The 35-year-old will not be featuring for the Bandung Tigers this season after he was conspicuously missing from the team’s launching on Saturday.

Michael Essien has been released by Indonesian topflight side, Persib Bandung.

The former Chelsea and Real Madrid star was revealed to have extended his deal with the Bandung Lautan Api Stadium giants.

With the club signing foreign strikers, they had to do away with one of the foreign players in the team to suit league policy.
Before the former Ghanaian star was shown the exit door, the Bandung Tigers had signed Bogan Malisic, Oh In-Kyun and Ezechiel N’Douassel.

Also, Essien was not present during the presentation of the team to the fans on Saturday at Graha Persib.

“[Michael] Essien was not among the players we launched because we wanted to fulfil the PSSI regulation of four foreign players in a team” club official Zainuri Hasyim told journalists.

As is stands, the Champions League winner who scored five goals in 29 games for the team last season is likely to join Bali United.