"I was very close to joining Chelsea" - Former Real Madrid star claims he would have loved to play for the Blues

Former Real Madrid star Fabio Cannavaro recently revealed that he would have loved to play for Chelsea and was very close to joining the Premier League club.

The 2006 FIFA World Cup winner was one of the best defenders in the world in his heydey. However, when Juventus were relegated to Serie B after the 2005-06 season, Cannavaro explored the market to explore his opportunities elsewhere.

Speaking about the clubs he was looking to join back at that point in time, he said (via FourFourTwo):

“In leaving Juventus after the 2006 World Cup, I was very close to joining Chelsea. I had two options, Real Madrid or Chelsea, and I chose Real Madrid in accordance with the club."

He further named the other Premier League clubs he would have loved to play for, telling (via FourFourTwo):

“I would’ve loved to play for the Blues, and I was fascinated by the Premier League, although it wasn’t yet the league we all admire today. Arsenal and Manchester United were also very popular back then and I would have strived to play for them.”

Cannavaro went on to make 118 appearances for Los Blancos during his time in the Spanish capital. The central defender made 136 appearances for Italy at the international level and captained the team to FIFA World Cup glory back in 2006.

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Chelsea and Real Madrid among clubs interested in Kylian Mbappe

Kylian Mbappe is expected to leave Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the summer transfer market. The Frenchman's departure looked inevitable since he informed the club of his decision to not extend his contract beyond the 2023-24 season.

The situation, however, became more evident after the Parisians decided to leave the talismanic attacker out of the team's squad for the pre-season tour to Japan. Mbappe is expected to be sold by the club this summer as they are reluctant to lose one of the best players in the world for free next summer.

Real Madrid is touted as the most possible destination for the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner as the Madrid giants have had a longstanding interest in the player. The Blues are also among interested parties. However, the Stamford Bridge club's absence from European competitions could be a blow in their pursuit of Mbappe.