Real Madrid and Brazilian legend reveals why his transfer move to Chelsea failed

Real Madrid and Brazilian legend Roberto Carlos have revealed why his transfer move to Chelsea failed.

The 47-year-old FIFA World Cup winner was a free agent at the time having spend 11 years Santiago Bernabeu until he became a free agent and was approached by the Blues as well as Fenerbahce.

Carlos was very keen on moving to Stamford Bridge after meeting with club owner Roman Abramovich as well as former chief executive Peter Kenyon and went to meet them in Paris where he was supposed to sign his contract.

Carlos told Goal: “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 added that Chelsea were not the only English team that tried to sign him throughout his career as he was also approached by Aston Villa in 1995 while he was still playing for Palmeiras.

“I was still playing in Brazil with Palmeiras when Aston Villa came in for me in 1995 but they couldn’t afford the deal,” he explained. “After that, I went to Inter.”

Carlos moved to Fenerbahce where he spent two years and then went on to Corinthians, Anzhi Makhachkala and the Delhi Dynamos where he ended his celebrated career.