Paris Saint-Germain captain Marquinhos has hinted that Chelsea made an approach for him over the summer, but PSG rejected any prospect of the Brazilian moving away by shutting down talks.
The 27-year-old is an important cog in Mauricio Pochettino’s all-star PSG team, marshalling the defensive line while wearing the captain’s armband for the French giants.
European champions Chelsea, meanwhile, were on the lookout for a new centre-back this summer – with Marquinhos giving the impression that Thomas Tuchel’s side did enquire about him, an approach that was strongly rebuffed by PSG.
When asked about Chelsea’s interest in him this summer, Marquinhos told Le Parisien: ‘No! It wasn’t even an offer. In fact, the club blocked talks straight away. It shows the faith they have in me.
‘It is an honour for a club like PSG to put such faith in me. The fact that others are interested in me means I am doing well.
‘It gives me the motivation to go on, boost my training sessions and play even better. Paris and PSG are the only things on my mind.’
Chelsea also tried to move for Sevilla centre-back Jules Kounde, and while a £43million deal was agreed between the two clubs, the Spanish side upped their asking price to around £67m, which the Blues refused to meet.
Tuchel’s European champions, however, have managed to start the season brightly without a new centre-back, with Chelsea currently topping the Premier League table after nine games.
The west Londoners have conceded just three goals since the start of the season, with German head coach Tuchel rotating his defensive options regularly.
Marquinhos’ former PSG team-mate Thiago Silva is one of those options, while German international Antonio Rudiger has started the season strongly at Stamford Bridge.
Andreas Christensen has also been handed game time, with Malang Sarr and Trevoh Chalobah acting as reliable young players so far this season.
Marquinhos’ PSG, meanwhile, also top their domestic league, as Pochettino’s men currently hold a seven-point lead over second-placed Lens after 10 matches.