Elye Wahi reveals his reason to snub a move to Chelsea, insisting he did not want to join them for ‘the sake of it’.
Elye Wahi was one of the hottest properties in the summer market after his 19-goal season with Montpellier in Ligue 1. The Frenchman had a big chance to join some of the top clubs in England, including Chelsea, but reportedly turned down the opportunity.
West Ham were also keen on the striker, but Chelsea were the first to approach. The Blues have scoured the market for top young talents and have mostly succeeded. However, they did miss out on a few targets, like Wahi and Club Brugge’s Antonio Nusa.
The Norwegian winger explained his reasons for snubbing a move to Chelsea, stating he wanted to have patience with his career and not jump at the first big opportunity. Nusa also revealed that he could decide on his next move soon, with the Blues likely to track him again, but will face big competition from rivals.
Now, Wahi also suggested he did not want to join Chelsea for ‘the sake of it’ and also revealed Frankfurt were close to signing him during the summer. He also explained how waiting to join Frankfurt was complicated, as he chose to remain in Ligue 1 by joining Lens. The 19-goal star’s comments appeared on 90 Min via L’Equipe.
🚨🗣 Elye Wahi speaks on the failed Chelsea move:
"Chelsea – I didn’t want to go there just for the sake of it."
"I don’t have any regrets."#CFC
(@lequipe via @GFFN) pic.twitter.com/AMcOrURUPV
— Chelsea Dodgers (@TheBlueDodger) September 9, 2023
Wahi said, “Chelsea – I didn’t want to go there just for the sake of it. Frankfurt was close, more so than Chelsea. I spoke with the manager there (Dino Toppmöller). He speaks French and that was important for me. They had to wait for Randal Kolo Muani’s departure and waiting for it was too complicated. I don’t have any regrets,”
Chelsea wanted a new striker, but they did not see Wahi as someone who could play a key role in their current setup. They did bring a similar forward in Nicolas Jackson, but had they chosen to hand the Lens striker a big part, he might have joined.
Instead, as per the report, Chelsea offered to sign Wahi but sent him out on loan to Strasbourg for the current season. Wahi wanted to play regularly rather than, as he revealed, for the sake of it. He finally chose to join
Lens as they came in with an important project and a chance to shine in the Champions League.
For now, Chelsea will have to make do with whatever options they have in their squad. They might again hunt for a new striker in January, although Wahi is currently off the market.
