Ghana midfielder Michael Essien is in great physical shape ahead of his much-anticipated debut for Panathinaikos in Saturdays big derby against Olympiakos Piraeus in the Greek Super League, GHANAsoccernet.com can reveal.

The 33-year-old appears to be winning the fitness battle after showing immense improvement at training this week.

There is a huge sense of dj vu as fans await to see the Ghana international in a Panathinaikos shirt for the first time since joining in the summer.

Essien joined the Greens in June this year but is yet to kick ball due to his troublesome knee injury which has rocked his rather fine career.

He has endured more injury hell since joining the Greek giants from AC Milanbut it appears there is light at the end of the tunnel for theGhana international.

The former Chelsea midfielder has had serious fitness concerns but it appears he is making some immense progress from the nightmare with his comeback trail likely to kick-start on Saturday at the Stadio Apstolos Nikolaidis in Athens.

Newly-appointed coach Andrea Stramaccioni is a huge admirer of the famous Ghanaian and has consistently expressed his desire to work with him

Essien has notoriously been cursed by injuries over the years in a sorry episode which has affected his form and stature in world football.