Former Real Madrid midfielder Pedro Leon claims Jose Mourinho stopped him from joining Chelsea.
Pedro Leon was brought in from Getafe during the Portuguese tactician’s first transfer window as boss at the Bernabeu. However, he lasted just one season at Real Madrid before returning to his former club on a two-year loan deal, which was eventually made permanent in 2013.
He made just 14 appearances during his only season at the Santiago Bernabeu, while Mourinho made it clear that he was unhappy with the midfielder’s effort levels in training.
“You talk of Pedro Leon as if he was Zidane or Maradona or Di Stefano, he is a player who not long ago was playing at Getafe. He is not called up for one game and it seems like you are talking about a great player”, said Mourinho when asked why Leon was left out of a Champions League squad just months after his arrival.
Speaking to El Transistor, the current Eibar man revealed that he had opportunity to move to the Premier League back in 2011, but his manager refused to let him go.
“I had an offer from Chelsea, but Mourinho didn’t let me go”, Leon revealed. “There was also interest of Manchester City and AC Milan, who wanted to sign me in January 2011, but I was not allowed to leave.”
Leon was eventually asked about the coach’s scathing comments where he referenced Zinedine Zidane and Diego Maradona. “These are circumstances that could have been avoided, but I was not the only one to blame.”
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