Chelsea transfer news: Antonio Conte blocked Sofiane Boufal move with Arsenal and Tottenham also making offers for ace
Lille forward ended up joining Southampton in club-record deal but could have been playing in London instead
SOFIANE BOUFAL received lucrative offers from Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea before joining Southampton for a club-record fee.
But according to agent Yvan Le Mee, Blues boss Antonio Conte pulled the plug on a Stamford Bridge switch despite seeing club chiefs push for a deal.
Southampton paid a stunning £21million to sign Boufal from Lille, with boss Claude Puel desperate to add to his attack.
The Morocco international scored 11 goals in Ligue 1 last season, and has been likened to ex-Lille star Eden Hazard.
Interest in Boufal was high, with Tottenham said to be leading the race for his signature before Southampton pounced.
But Mee has indicated that Chelsea came closest to poaching his client before Conte stepped in, adding that Paris Saint-Germain had also looked like a real option.
He said: “We spoke to PSG. If Laurent Blanc had stayed, (Boufal) would have gone to PSG because things would have happened quickly.
“We also had Arsenal who – when they lost out on Riyad Mahrez – came back to us, but it didn’t happen. We had Spurs.