Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has revealed that he was never interested in signing Steven Pienaar from Everton.
The South Africa international signed with Tottenham last week for around £3million but Toffees boss David Moyes had stated that Chelsea were in the running for his signature.
However, Ancelotti dismissed that claim, saying he never met with the former Ajax and Borussia Dortmund man.
"I did not speak to ¬Pienaar. I did not have a meeting with him. I have a ¬fantastic midfield," Ancelotti said.
"I said if there was an ¬opportunity to improve our position I would act but he chose Tottenham.
"I do not have a problem if the club negotiated for the player without me. But I did not want him.
"It was Pienaar's decision. Maybe, we did not consider he was one of the more important players we wanted. The story is I did not meet the player.
"The thing now is Spurs had a good squad and with Pienaar they have a ¬better squad.
"But it means it is even more ¬important to us to ensure we stay in the Champions League. Very important.
"I can't answer why Pienaar did not come here but he was not our player."
