Mourinho confronted Essien about joining Arsenal

Tottenham Hotspur boss Jose Mourinho once confronted midfielder Michael Essien about a possible move to Arsenal.

Essien and Mourinho were first together at Chelsea.

Mourinho called him to ask about the rumoured move to Arsenal, and then pitched him the idea of going to Real Madrid instead.

The Ghanian eventually went to Real on loan and played a valuable role for Mourinho.

"I was with Chelsea in Monaco for the Super Cup and a strange number called me but I didn't want to answer it but my cousin who was in the room with me that day told me to pick it up," Essien said on Instagram Live with Carol Tshabalala.

"The number kept calling so I picked and as soon as I said hello and another hello came from the other end and I realised who was on the phone so I told my cousin it's Jose Mourinho.

"We started talking and he said, 'I heard you're on your way to Arsenal'. But I told him it's not true. I had not heard anything from Arsenal. Then he said don't go to Arsenal, come to me and I asked him where, and he said Real Madrid so I told him I'm ready.

"It was the last day of the transfer window and he said okay give me your agent's number. I told him I'm ready even if it means I have to leave in the midst of the Super Cup game.

"He said Lassana Diarra was supposed to move to Russia so if he accepts to go then they will process my transfer and I told him, 'OK, I'm waiting, just chilling in my room'. He said give me a couple hours I'll call back and I said cool.

"My agent called after a few hours and said what happened and I told him I spoke to Jose about moving to Madrid and said he gave Jose my number. He told me to relax because Madrid will come and I just said OK."