Chelsea’s deadline day signing Raul Meireles has confessed that the timing of his switch from Liverpool to Stamford Bridge was strange, and it has left him surprised to some extent though he knew of Chelsea manager Andre Villas Boas’ interest in him since a long time.
Raul Meireles call his deadline switch to Chelsea as ‘strange’
In an interview to Chelsea’s official website, Meireles said, “It was strange, because I knew of the interest of Chelsea, and the interest of the coach, and it was a pleasure to come to this club but it was strange because it was on the last day.
“The people think that I wanted to leave [Liverpool FC] and it is only because Chelsea wanted me. For Andre to want me, that is why I wanted to go.”
Meireles agreed that his situation in this transfer window was the same as last year, when he was brought in the final days from Porto by then Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson for a fee of around £11.5 million.
Meireles, who hit top form under Kenny Dalglish at Liverpool, explained, “It was similar because it happened late. It was different because when I was in Porto, I knew that I wanted to go and the club wanted to sell me, and I only had to wait for the right choice.
“I made the right choice last year to come to England and to come to Liverpool and this year was different because I knew that I didn’t want to leave Liverpool. I felt that the new owners didn’t want to sell me, but when I knew that Chelsea and Andre wanted me it convinced me.”
Though Meireles has joined a new side, it has been easy for him to settle down at the London club due to the presence of fellow Portuguese footballers Jose Bosingwa, David Luiz, Ramires and goalkeeper Hilario.
He continued, “I have a lot of friends here, Portuguese players that I know from Porto and the national team, and Jose Bosingwa helped me a lot in these first days.
“I know that Chelsea is a great club, one of the best clubs in the world, and it is not too difficult to convince me to come.
“Paulo [Ferreira] and Hilario I know well, and Ramires and David Luiz I know from the Portuguese League where they did a very good job in Benfica.
“They were very difficult opponents. Ramires only played one year in Portugal and that year they won the championship and he is a fantastic footballer. David Luiz also was very good. We talk the same language so now it is easy.”
Tags: Andre Villas Boas, Chelsea, Liverpool, Raul Meireles, Stamford Bridge
