Chelsea submitted a £24m bid for Elye Wahi this summer (AFP via Getty)
Lens forward Elye Wahi admits he had reservations over a move to Chelsea this summer.
Wahi was one of Montpellier’s standout performers last season, scoring 19 goals in Ligue 1.
His displays were enough to convince Chelsea, who submitted a £24 million bid to Montpellier for the 20-year-old in June.
However, their offer rejected by the French club and Wahi ended up joining Lens, who have qualified for this season’s Champions League group stage, in a club-record €35m (£30m) deal.
Wahi had also attracted interest from West Ham and Frankfurt, as they were looking to replace Randal Kolo Muani who joined Paris Saint-Germain on the final day of the transfer window.
Elye Wahi joined Lens in a €35m (£30m) deal this summer (DPPI/Shutterstock)
When asked about a potential move to Chelsea, Wahi told L’Equipe: ‘I didn’t want to go there just for the sake of it.
‘Frankfurt was close, more so than Chelsea.
‘I spoke with the manager there. He speaks French and that was important for me.
‘They had to wait for Randal Kolo Muani’s departure and waiting for it was too complicated. I don’t have any regrets.’
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‘I didn’t want to go there just for the sake of it.’