Richarlison has revealed that Chelsea failed with an offer for his signature before his move to Tottenham this summer.
The Brazilian star joined Spurs in a £60m deal from Everton and already has two goals and two assists in his first eight games for Antonio Conte’s side.
But the 25-year-old had a number of options this summer as Chelsea made a move to sign him from Everton, while Arsenal also approached the club.
Richarlison, however, says a conversation with Antonio Conte about the prospect of moving to Spurs was a major factor behind his decision.
‘I was on holiday in Brazil when I heard that Tottenham had made Everton an offer,’ Richarlison told FourFourTwo.
‘I was happy, because they are a huge team. Then it was all about the clubs negotiating a deal, and fortunately everything went well.
‘Antonio Conte called me during the negotiations and expressed how much he’d like to have me on board – that was vital for my decision.’
When asked about the interest from Arsenal and Chelsea, Richarlison said: ‘I know Chelsea made an offer, and I believe Arsenal also contacted Everton to ask about my situation, but Spurs came in and paid the fee, you know? It’s as simple as that.
‘Everton had to sell some players to avoid a Financial Fair Play problem, and the negotiations were very brief, to be honest.
‘I signed the contract during my holiday in the Pantanal.’
