Tottenham Hotspur striker Richarlison has confirmed that both Chelsea and Arsenal made offers for him before his transfer from Everton.
The Brazilian had been heavily linked with Chelsea, dating to his days back in his home country.
He joined Watford, however, before moving to Everton soon after and becoming an established forward in the Premier League.
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With Romelu Lukaku departing on loan to Inter Milan less than a year after his club-record return to Chelsea, the Blues were in the market for attacking reinforcements this summer.
Richarlison's national teammate Raphinha was heavily linked with the move as Chelsea saw a bid accepted for the winger.
However, he opted to join Barcelona rather than make the move to Stamford Bridge.
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Raheem Sterling arrived from Manchester City, while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang joined the club on Deadline Day.
Richarlison has now opened up on his potential move to Chelsea, revealing that both Arsenal and the Blues were interested in signing him this summer.
Speaking on international duty, as quoted by The Evening Standard, 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?"
He continued to explain his reasons for joining Spurs, hinting that Chelsea and Arsenal did not match Everton's valuation.
"It’s as simple as that," he continued.
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"Everton had to sell some players to avoid a Financial Fair Play problem, and the negotiations were very brief, to be honest.
“I was on holiday in Brazil when I heard that Tottenham had made Everton an offer.
"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.”
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The forward impressed for Spurs at Stamford Bridge in a 2-2 draw earlier this season and it appears that there was a chance of him playing in blue.
However, now he is a rival of Chelsea and will be competing with Graham Potter's side to finish in the Champions League places this season.
Topics: Chelsea, Richarlison, Football, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Premier League, Brazil
Nick Emms