Denis Zakaria has admitted his move to Chelsea came about in the final hours of the transfer window. In London he hopes to be “happier” than at Juventus.
The Swiss national player left Juventus just six months after his arrival. On Deadline Day, Chelsea were interested in the ex-Gladbacher, who initially went to the Blues on loan.
The midfielder revealed that the transfer to Stamford Bridge came about very suddenly. “It all happened very quickly. I only knew that a move to Chelsea was possible six hours before the end of the transfer window,” Zakaria explained in an interview with Blick.
In addition to Chelsea, Liverpool are said to have been interested in the 25-year-old. “I heard about [Reds’ interest] from my agent, but in the end it was Chelsea. And I think I’ll be happier in England than in Turin,” he said.
Zakaria admitted Juve’s style of play was ‘perhaps not mine’. “The team was a lot behind, didn’t have that much space. I’m a player who needs a lot of space for my runs,” he explained. “It might suit me better in England.”
However, the 25-year-old did not have any problems with Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri. Zakaria stressed that the Italian was a “good person”. He also finds it a shame that the Bianconeri are currently in a crisis. “They can do much better as a squad,” confirmed the new Chelsea pro.
But now his focus is solely on the blues. “I want to show the best face I have,” confirmed Zakaria, who can be committed to a purchase option for almost 35 million euros in the summer of 2023.
This article was originally published on 90min.com as Zakaria on Chelsea move: ‘Happier in England than in Turin’.
