Back in the final week of the transfer window, when Sporting managed to sign Ivan Fresneda from Real Valladolid, it was claimed Chelsea were involved in that deal.
Reports from Portugal and England said the Blues, who were also in the race for the player, somehow managed to secure a preference over the Spaniard. That would have been a clause which gave them an advantage over other clubs for a future transfer.
It turns out that, according to newspaper O Jogo today, Sporting president Frederico Varandas made it clear Chelsea do not have any option over the player.
It’s reported that in a general meeting on Monday, Varandas was asked about the Blues, partly because it’s recently been said they’d like to buy the Lisbon side.
Varandas then dismissed that Chelsea had any involvement in Freneda’s signing, also claiming there had not been talks for a takeover.
What was confirmed is that the Blues had been in talks with Sporting about signing of Manuel Ugarte, who had ‘one foot’ at Stamford Bridge, but ended up signing with Paris Saint Germain instead.
