REVIEW: Roberto Carlos was ‘very close’ to joining Chelsea after meeting Roman Abramovich but the deal fell at eleven o’clock before he left Real Madrid for Fenerbahce
- Roberto Carlos revealed that he came ‘very close’ to signing for Chelsea in 2007
- He had two options Chelsea and Fenerbahce after completing 11 years at Real Madrid
- Carlos says ‘everything was agreed’ with Chelsea after talking to Abramovich
- But saying the agreement with Chelsea had fallen apart due to an issue with the lawyer
- Carlos was upset because he felt he would have done well in the Premier League
Roberto Carlos has said he came ‘very close’ to signing for Chelsea in 2007, before the deal fell through at the last minute.
The former Real Madrid defender – Chelsea and Fenerbahce – had two options after becoming a free agent after a successful 11 years at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Carlos says ‘everything was agreed’ with the Blues after a successful conversation with Roman Abramovich, but says the agreement fell because of an ‘issue with the lawyer’.
Roberto Carlos (above) has stated that he came ‘very close’ to signing for Chelsea in 2007
Carlos says ‘everything was agreed’ with Chelsea after talking to Roman Abramovich
Carlos was disappointed with the failed move as he believes he would have ‘done well in the Premier League’ and would have suited his ‘qualities’.
He told Amas: ‘I had two recommendations, Fenerbahce and Chelsea. Chelsea didn’t work out so I signed for Fenerbahce.
‘But, with Chelsea, he got really close. It was literally agreed and I just had to go there and sign the contract.
‘It was just a week before I applied for Fenerbahce and I had been in Paris to meet both Roman Abramovich and Peter Kenyon.
Roberto Carlos (center) on the left won 13 trophies during his time at Real Madrid (above)
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho (left) was sacked less than three months after the failed move
‘Unfortunately, in the final moments something didn’t work out just before it was finished, which is a lot that happens in football. There was a case with the lawyer.
‘Everything was agreed, though, and I’m 100 per cent sure I would have done well in the Premier League and it would have suited my qualities.’
As it happens, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho lost his pocket less than three months after the failed move.
While Carlos enjoyed a two-year stint in Istanbul before returning to Sao Paulo to play for Corinthians.
