Chelsea star has revealed that he was in talks to join Arsenal from Chelsea back in 2021, but a phone call from Jose Mourinho changed everything.
The Gunners were on the market for a new striker before the start of last season. They were linked with a whole host of names, but none more than Abraham, who was on the verge of leaving Chelsea.
The Englishman would’ve been a fine signing for the Gunners, but Mourinho ruined it for them.
Tammy Abraham explains why he did not join Arsenal from Chelsea
Tammy Abraham fell out of favour under Thomas Tuchel at Chelsea.
The German’s team selections made it clear that he just did not fancy the striker, and it became obvious that he would be on his way out of Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2021.
Arsenal were heavily linked at the time, and a move looked very possible. Abraham has now confirmed that he was in talks with the Gunners, but AS Roma boss Mourinho stepped in and lured him away.
Abraham told Rete Sport, as quoted by Tutto AS Roma: “It was time to leave Chelsea, and I was talking to different clubs in England and Europe. My attention was drawn to a certain London club. I didn’t have to move anywhere, I knew the area well. It was Arsenal. My father is a huge Arsenal fan so he was very enthusiastic, everything was fine.
“Then José called me. He said, ‘Hi Tammy, it’s José’. And I was like, ‘Wow, what a surprise!’. He asked me how the family was. I knew him well because he had known me as a child at Chelsea. He asked me: ‘Are you ready to leave the bad weather and come to sunny Rome?’
“I laughed, we talked a little more, he told me about the project, his ambitions for the team. He had been in Rome for a short time, but he explained to me what he had seen and what it felt like.
“I spoke to my agents and they said there was no question, a perfect time to start a new life, to go abroad and experience another different culture. I was so ready and I haven’t looked back since.”
Our View:
Abraham hit the ground running at Roma and became a star there in his debut season.
The England international scored 27 goals and provided five assists last term, but he has been fairly quiet this time around, having scored just six times all campaign.
That, however, doesn’t change the fact that Abraham is a quality player and he’ll be a wanted man this summer. Chelsea have a buy-back clause and can sign him for £70 million at the end of this season (Fabrizio Romano), and they could do with a new striker.
Arsenal too have been linked, with the Evening Standard reporting this week that the Gunners scouted Abraham and other ‘physical’ strikers like him with a view of signing one of them this summer.
