Brazilian legend Roberto Carlos has revealed he came “very close” to joining Chelsea in 2007.
Carlos is renowned as one of the greatest full-backs in history, having won the Champions League three times and LaLiga five times during a glorious spell with Real Madrid's Galacticos, as well as lifting the World Cup in 2002 with Brazil.
In the summer of 2007, the defender had just left Madrid after an 11-year spell at the Bernabeu and was a free agent weighing up his next move.
Chelsea had only twelve months earlier signed Ashley Cole from Arsenal, but it appears the Blues were after a bargain addition.
"I had two proposals, Fenerbahce and Chelsea," Carlos told Goal. "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."
