Kweku Essien failed to impress at Hertha BSC, Eintracht Frankfurt, TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, SCR Altach and now Sturm Graz. In July the same year, he was loaned out to German second division team VfL Osnabrück, but after six months in Germany he returned to F.C. Maamobi. In August 2008, was sold to F.C. Ashdod in Israel. After eight months in Israel he returned on 12 April 2009 to Ghana and signed with Eleven Wise. In 2006, he was capped two times for the Black Stars. Kweku Essien Essien began his professional career 2003 at Asante Kotoko but left the club in 2005
Michael Essien signed a two-year-contract with Greek club Panathinaikos. The deal made him the club's highest-paid player, with an annual salary of €800,000. He spent the first three months of the season recovering from a leg injury. He was due to make his debut on 21 November 2015 against Panathinaikos' archrivals Olympiacos, but the match was cancelled. He played his first match one week later. On 24 January 2016, he scored his first goal for Panathinaikos in a 2–0 away league win over Levadiakos. After a season in Greece, Essien was omitted from Panathinaikos' squad for the 2016–17 season, with the expectation