Robinho has revealed how Real Madrid rejected his move to Chelsea because they were a Champions League rival.

Back in 2008, the Atletico Miniero man was hot property across Europe. After believing they'd completed a deal for Robinho, Chelsea even had shirts printed with his name on it.

However, the Brazilian was eventually sold to Manchester City for a club-record fee of £32.5m.

"I remember that last day of the window," Robinho told the Daily Mail.

"Tick-tock… my agent called me and said, 'You have this chance to go to City. There are other Brazilians there, Elano and Jo.' So off I went.

"Two months earlier, I had spoken to Chelsea boss Phil Scolari.

But the Madrid board blocked it as they didn't want me to go to a team in the Champions League that could be a direct rival."