Former Chelsea icon Demba Ba has shed light on a move away from Stamford Bridge that Jose Mourinho shut down at the last minute.
The Portuguese manager is known for his no-nonsense approach both on and off the pitch. This recent interview with Senegal international Ba has only added to Mourinho’s portfolio of savage decision making.
Speaking to FourFourTwo (via Daily Star), Ba revealed that he was close to signing for London rivals Arsenal in 2013. The Gunners were extremely interested in snapping up the striker after an impressive period with Chelsea, but the move was scuppered on deadline day by a resilient Mourinho.
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“I was really close [to joining Arsenal],” Ba said. “I was at my house in Paris, having a day off, when I got a phone call from Arsene Wenger – he asked if I’d come back to London for a medical.
“I woke up at 9am on transfer deadline day, jumped on a train, got to London, but then it never happened.”
The 35-year-old revealed that Mourinho had blocked the deal from going through, stating he did not want to help a Premier League rival strengthen their squad. Ba would certainly have been a strong signing for Arsenal, with a total of 184 career goals to his name to date (via Transfermarkt).
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Instead, Arsene Wenger added last minute recruits Mesut Ozil and Emiliano Viviano to his squad. Ba went on to join Besiktas instead the following year for a fee of £4.7million (via Sky Sports).
Chelsea kept their cult hero for just over a year before his move. They now sport fellow hot talents including Tammy Abraham and new fan favourite Timo Werner.
What do you make of this Mourinho revelation, Blues fans? Join the conversation in the comments below…
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