Chelsea fans are digesting the news that they likely missed out on signing one of football’s most iconic left-backs in 2007, a World Cup and three-time Champions League winner.
Former Inter Milan and Real Madrid superstar Roberto Carlos has revealed, via Goal, that he had two offers on the table – one from Chelsea and one from Turkish giants Fenerbahce, and apparently it was west London that the Brazilian wanted most;
“I had two proposals, Fenerbahce and Chelsea.”
“Chelsea didn’t work out so I signed for Fenerbahce.”
“But, with Chelsea, it got very close. It was literally agreed and I just had to go there and sign the contract.”
“It was just a week before I signed for Fenerbahce and I had been to Paris to meet both Roman Abramovich and (former chief executive) Peter Kenyon.”
“Unfortunately, in the final moments something didn’t work out just before finalising, which happens a lot in football. There was an issue with the lawyer.”
“It was all agreed, though, and I am 100 per cent sure I would have done well in the Premier League and it would have suited my characteristics.”
At the time the 34-year-old would go on to play in Turkey for two seasons before winding down his career in Brazil, Russia and India, retiring from playing in 2015.
