Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano reports that Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea were very keen on signing the Argentine but a deal ‘collapsed’.
‘It was not that close but Chelsea were really trying to sign Lionel Messi in 2014, with Jose Mourinho as the manager. They were really pushing to try and persuade Messi to join them,’ Romano said.
‘They [Chelsea] were contacting people close to Leo Messi, discussing with lawyers close to Messi to try to convince him for a new opportunity in the Premier League,’ the report states.
‘But then everything collapsed because Barcelona was something special for Lionel Messi,’ Romano continued.
‘He decided together with his family to stay in Catalonia and continue his experience with Barca.
‘Roman Abramovich wanted Leo Messi. He was seriously trying to sign Messi as the new star for Chelsea but the deal collapsed.’
