Dynamo Moscow striker Fedor Smolov has revealed Chelsea were serious about signing Arsen Zakharyan.

The Dynamo winger saw a move to Chelsea last year fall through due to financial sanctions on Russia.

Smolov revealed to journalist Nobel Arustamyan: "He laughed it off. It seemed that he himself did not fully believe that this was possible. But at the same time, I think he really wanted to. I think there was another moment when he thought: 'At 19 Chelsea, I'm fine. Well, okay, not now, so I'll leave for Real at 20.'

"I told him just when the summer transfer window closed: 'vDude, if you don't leave in the winter, 90 percent you won't leave next summer.'

"Zakharyan was supposed to force Dynamo to sell him to Chelsea? Yes, he had to do everything to leave. But we have already touched on this topic - agents and relationships with them. We don't know what information was given to him.

"When the news appeared, I asked Zeljko Buvac (Dynamo sports director) in the canteen at the base: 'Is this true?' He said that the offer really is. I asked: 'What do you think?', he replied that Arsene should be sold.

"Buvac had such a position. I agreed with this. Chelsea had difficulties with payment... If I had made a decision, I would have sold him. I would taken him myself through Dubai to England."