The Ghana star is back at Cobham as a free agent after being released by Panathinaikos, but only for training purposes, according to reports
Ghana international Michael Essien has returned to former club Chelsea after he was released by Panathinaikos one year into his contract with the Greek side.
However, the 33-year-old midfielder, who is now a free agent, will only train with the Blues until he finds a new club, reports say.
He took part in a friendly match against local rivals Brentford won by Chelsea 2-1 on Wednesday. But it remains unclear whether he would be on the books of Antonio Conte by the end of the transfer window.
Essien joined Chelsea from Ligue 1 side Lyon in 2005 before leaving for AC Milan in 2014.
In his eight-and-a-half seasons at Stamford Bridge, he made 256 appearances in all competitions, winning two Premier League titles, four FA Cups and the Uefa Champions League.
He has been capped 58 times for Ghana, scoring nine goals. However, he last played for the team in 2014.