Soon-to-be Corinthians president Augusto Melo has now shared what he told Chelsea owner Todd Boehly when he tried to sign midfielder Gabriel Moscardo this summer.
He told Foot Mercato that he would never sell the youngster for the price the Blues were reportedly willing to pay.
Reports suggested that the Blues were prepared to offer up to £26m for Moscardo in an attempt to bring in the next top youngster to Stamford Bridge.
Boehly has made it his mission to bring in as many stars of tomorrow as possible before they are snapped up by other big sides.
However, Melo has claimed he knocked the Chelsea owner back when he attempted to bring him in last summer.
He said: “I’m not a salesman. Our player, trained at home, will be our third best seller, at least. He’s an 18 year old boy, he’s in transition, he’s gaining weight now.
Boehly on Moscardo
“It will ripen further so that we can sell it for three or four times more than it is worth. We have to sell well on the market again.
“I made it clear, I joked with him (Todd Boehly), I told him I wouldn’t sell. I will never sell for what they offer. It is more than 40 million euros at least.”
It now looks as if Chelsea are not even the favourites to carry out the deal, despite recent reports that they had actually agreed a fee for the deal.
Instead, it seems as if PSG are the side most likely to complete the signing, with Chelsea’s priority in the transfer window elsewhere.
The Blues are strongly linked with the signing of a striker, with Victor Osimhen the reported favourite to make the move at the end of the season.
Receive a digest of our best Chelsea content each week direct to your mailbox
