‘I thought about leaving Chelsea in the summer – now I want to stay and fight for a place'

Wesley Fofana has admitted that he was tempted to move from Chelsea this summer back to his hometown of Marseille. However, his desire to prove his worth in the Premier League won and he decided to stay at Stamford Bridge.

The 23-year-old made a £70million move from Leicester City to the London side in 2022 and was tipped to become a solid defender for the club. However, the centre-half suffered a series of injuries throughout his first two seasons, one of which included the dreaded ACL tear.

This injury left Fofana sidelined for just under a year at Chelsea, as he saw himself pushed down in the defensive pecking order at the club. So, when rumours of a transfer to Olympique Marseille began during the summer, it was something that the young defender did consider.

Fofana admitted he was a Marseille supporter, which could have influenced his decision, but ultimately decided to remain at Chelsea to prove his salt in the Premier League.

He said: “I got a call that really touched me. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about it. It was Mehdi Benatia from Olympique de Marseille, the sporting director.”

“It certainly touched me. I think everyone knows why and… I had to think about it. But my objective at the moment is to succeed at Chelsea, to try and win games, and to establish myself at my club.”

However, the 23-year-old didn’t rule out a move to the French club in the future, claiming the club as his own and adding that he’s never made his love for the team a “secret”.

Fofana added: “And about Olympique de Marseille, we’ll see one day. I still have a contract until 2029. We’ll see after that. I’ve never made any secret of it. It’s my city, it’s my club, I’m an Olympique de Marseille supporter.

“If all goes to plan, I’ll be at Olympique de Marseille in a few years’ time. But I could also spend my whole career at Chelsea, we’ll see.”

Currently, Fofana has been in solid form with Chelsea, having played every Premier League match so far – securing two victories, drawing one, and suffering only a single loss in the opener against Manchester City.

The French centre-half, along with his teammates, is aiming to extend their positive run in the upcoming clash against West Ham at the London Stadium this Saturday afternoon.