Chelsea target Jonathan Clauss reveals why he snubbed summer transfer to the Blues… as the right-back says the move to Marseille ‘ticked all the boxes’
- Defender Jonathan Clauss has confirmed he did not want Chelsea summer move
- The Blues were linked with the French right-back after he impressed at RC Lens
- Clauss ended up signing for Ligue 1 side Marseille as they ‘ticked all the boxes’
- Chelsea had spent over over £200million on new talent in the transfer window
Marseille defender Jonathan Clauss has revealed that he did not want to join Chelsea in the summer transfer window for the sake of it.
Chelsea had a busy summer window, spending over £270million on new players such as Kalidou Koulibaly, Raheem Sterling, Marc Cucurella and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
The London club were also reportedly interested in signing the former RC Lens right-back on a cut-price deal as his contract at the Ligue 1 club was ending at the end of the current season.
Jonathan Clauss has admitted he did not want to join Chelsea in the summer transfer window
New Chelsea owner Todd Boehly oversaw a summer spend of over £270million on new players
The 29-year-old had impressed in his two years with Lens as he became one of the best full-backs in France as well as an international under Les Bleus boss Didier Deschamps.
Clauss instead opted to remain in Ligue 1 and moved to the Marseille on a three-year deal in a £7.8m transfer.
The defender admitted that his desire for first-team football was one of the reasons that he did not move to Chelsea – as well as the fact he did not want to join the club just so he could say he has been a player at Stamford Bridge.
Clauss told Info Sport: ‘I didn’t want to sign for Chelsea to one day say I signed for Chelsea.
‘It was really to try and keep playing, to discover the Champions League. Marseille ticked all the boxes I was looking for.’
Clauss has said that he wanted the move to Marseille as the club seemed like the right move
Since signing for Marseille, Clauss has been a regular fixture in the team, having made ten appearances in all competitions under manager Igor Tudor.
The club are currently second in Ligue 1, two points behind PSG, having won six of their eight league games this season.
Chelsea have started the season in poor form and are currently in 7th place in the Premier League. The Blues have also replaced manager Thomas Tuchel with Brighton boss Graham Potter.
Clauss has joined a number of former Premier League players at the Stade Velodrome, such as former West Ham star Dimitri Payet, Arsenal loanee Nuno Tavares and former Gunners such as Matteo Guendouzi, Alexis Sanchez, Sead Kolasinac.
Manchester United defender Eric Bailly is also on loan at the French club.
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