Former Chelsea star reveals Abramovich stopped him from joining Tottenham
Carlton Cole has admitted that he came really close to joining Tottenham Hotspur in 2006 only for Roman Abramovich to call off the transfer at the last minute when he got wind of the deal.
Daniel Levy and Abramovich did not do much business with one another, with the bad blood between the pair intensifying after the Blues stole Willian from under Spurs’ noses after the winger had completed a medical at Hotspur Way (Guardian).
However, Cole has revealed that the animosity between the parties started way before that, with Chelsea’s former owner even blocking his move to White Hart Lane in 2006.
The former England international explained that he had completed a medical at Spurs before making a move across London, only for the Russian billionaire to intervene at the final moment and scupper the deal.
Roman Abramovich tanked Carlton Cole to Spurs deal
Cole, who eventually ended up completing a move to West Ham that window, revealed that Abramovich wanted him to go to Russia instead.
The 40-year-old told Hayters TV: “That’s when Spurs come in initially, Martin Jol and Clive Allen. They wanted me to go over there. So I had a nice little meeting with them, I was like ‘okay cool, this is where I’m going to go’.
“Done my medical, what happened after that was crazy because I got a phone call, I’ve done my medical, I’ve got a phone call saying oh I had something wrong with my knee.
“So Spurs had to go back to Chelsea, whoever they was doing the deal with. Word got to Abramovich, who had no clue of this deal that was happening, he says no.
“Carlton I want you to stay, yeah, but I want you to go to my Russian side, go on loan for a year and go and help them out and basically go and develop for another year and come back, I’ll give you a new contract.
“Abramovich said we do not deal with Spurs, that’s why you won’t be going to Spurs. So I was like, okay I’m not doing that, I’m definitely not going to Russia.”
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In hindsight, the Tottenham medical team were right to flag Cole’s knee problem, which troubled him right through his career at West Ham. Spurs will consider it a bullet dodged, particularly since they signed Dimitar Berbatov instead during that window.
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