Jorginho Chelsea
Jorginho has admitted he came close to switching to Manchester City in the summer of 2018 before sealing a move to Chelsea. The 29-year-old midfielder completed a £50million transfer to the Blues in July 2018 from Napoli, when Maurizio Sarri was in charge at Stamford Bridge, but it could have been so different. Man City were strongly linked with Jorginho, but it was the west London club who won the race for the Italy international. Jorginho will face City on Saturday afternoon in what is set to be a huge clash in the Premier League title race, and when asked about the near-move to the Etihad Stadium, the midfielder made an honest admission. When asked by BT Sport about how close he was to joining Man City a few years ago,
Jorginho replied: “It was close, but it didn’t happen. That’s how it works sometimes in football. I’m very, very happy at Chelsea, it’s a massive club. Everything here at the moment is definitely so good because everyone is humble and that’s why we’re doing very well.”
Jorginho, right now at Chelsea, is one of the club’s most important players and has made himself an ever-present figure since Thomas Tuchel took over in January of this year, but it has not always been like that for the former Napoli man. The Italian was strongly criticised in his opening two seasons as a Blues man and he opened up on his perception in his early days at Stamford Bridge. When asked what criticism annoys him the most,
Jorginho said: “[People who say] I got here because of Sarri because if it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be here. I don’t deserve to be at this club because I wasn’t good enough, nah, that isn’t right. I have my value.”
Jorginho is set to start for Chelsea in their mouthwatering match with Man City on Saturday afternoon as Tuchel’s side look to extend their advantage at the top of the Premier League table. In order to beat a side as strong as City, Tuchel will know his players will need to be at their very best, including Jorginho, who the German coach recently described as “very important”.
Thomas Tuchel said: “He’s in love with this game and this is the feeling he transports in the first minute and he never stops transmitting this energy that he’s really into the game and thinking about tactics and loves to be involved and feel a true connection with the game and such a positive guy. That makes him a very, very important player and a huge link in the middle of the pitch, not only for us but also for Italy.”
