Proudly heralded by most football fans as the best left-back to ever play the sport, Roberto Carlos revealed in a recent interview with Goal that he was on the verge of joining Premier League club Chelsea following a legendary 11-year spell at Real Madrid that saw him leave out all the rest in his position.
Here is what the legendary full-back had to say regarding the failed transfer to London:
‘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 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.’
Carlos ended up joining Fenerbahce in the summer of 2007 in a free transfer. He then left the club after a two-and-a-half year spell to join Corinthians in his home country of Brazil.
Then Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho was sacked months after the failed transfer, and Chelsea fans were left disappointed, having once been treated to the idea of seeing club icon Ashley Cole and Roberto Carlos in the same squad.
The Brazilian made 370 appearances for Los Balncos during which he scored 48 goals and provided 53 assists. He won the Champions League thrice with Los Blancos, and was a part of the iconic Brazil squad that won the 2002 World Cup.
