‘I would have gone elsewhere’: Striker suggests he wishes he never signed for Chelsea now
Alexandre Pato, a former Chelsea striker, told The Players’ Tribune that he regrets joining the Blues in 2016.
He joined a struggling side in the middle of the 15/16 season, when the club lingered in mid-table despite having won the league the previous and subsequent seasons.
During this season, many of Chelsea’s top players, including Diego Costa, Oscar, and especially Eden Hazard, lagged far behind the competition.
In addition to Michael Hector and Matt Miazga, this resulted in a run of desperate-looking arrivals in the midst of the season.
In his six months with the club, Pato made only two appearances, scoring on his debut against Aston Villa.
He now claims that his experience at Stamford Bridge has made him regret the move.
Pato regrets Chelsea transfer
He said: “You know why I played so much better at São Paulo? They looked after me properly. There I just had to play. But when Chelsea called me, I was still dreaming of Europe. Unfortunately, I paid the price again for being overprotected.
“I still didn’t get it. I thought that Chelsea would loan me for six months and then I’d sign for three years. I didn’t realise that they could say no after the loan. Had I known? I would have gone elsewhere. It was a pity, because I was training really well, and the coach only played me twice. I never understood why.”
Prior to his stay in London, Pato’s career was flourishing, particularly at AC Milan in Italy.
However, he played his finest football following that horror in China, when he scored 15 goals in successive seasons.
In the twilight of his career, he is still active in Major League Soccer, but he has not shown any signs of regaining his former prolific form.
‘I would have gone elsewhere’: Striker suggests he wishes he never signed for Chelsea now
