Striker eventually joined Everton following Jose Mourinho’s sacking
Everton striker Oumar Niasse has admitted Chelsea wanted to sign him when Jose Mourinho was in charge.
Niasse was attracting interest from the Premier League after netting 13 goals for previous club Lokomotiv Moscow, grabbing himself a further 10 assists as well.
Eventually Niasse completed a move to Goodison Park after Everton agreed to pay ÂŁ13.5million for his services, but the striker has revealed it could have all been different for him had Mourinho not been sacked by Chelsea.
Speaking about his move to England, Niasse admitted that Mourinho wanted to sign him, but any potential deal collapsed after he was sacked in December.
Chelsea Interest
“My manager told me Mourinho [then at Chelsea] was interested,” Niasse told The Guardian.
“He said Mourinho liked the way I play and had been looking at me since I was in Turkey [with Akhisar Belediyespor].
“He was very interested in me for this last transfer window but then he was sacked.”
Striker Convinced He’ll Succeed
Niasse has struggled for game-time since moving to Everton due to the form of Romelu Lukaku, but he’s adamant he’ll be a success once given a chance.
“I have to be on the pitch to know exactly what’s going on in the Premier League,” he added.
“When you don’t start, you never know. I am a fighter. Football is not easy and just getting a professional contract means people must respect you because you have something.
“Even if it’s one quality, you have it. When I feel very good, when I feel ready to play, the fans will see someone who always wants to have the ball, someone who always wants to win, someone who always wants to run.
“This kind of player is someone who is focused on fighting every time he has the shirt and is on the pitch. I am going to fight.”
Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt