PSG 'blocked talks' from Chelsea this summer says Marquinhos
Cameron Smith
- 26 Oct 2021 06:20 CDT
- 3 min read
Brazilian defender Marquinhos has revealed that Paris Saint-Germain "blocked talks straight away" amidst Chelsea interest in him this summer.
Thomas Tuchel, who coached Marquinhos during his time at the Parc des Princes, reportedly wanted a centre-back to add to his roster with Kurt Zouma departing, but he was unable to land one.
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Trevoh Chalobah has stepped into that role this season, with Malang Sarr also present, but that wasn't Tuchel's first choice.
Chelsea's pursuit of Sevilla's Jules Kounde is well documented, but the Blues were also linked with a move for Marquinhos.
Tuchel was keen on reuniting with the defender, who can also play defensive midfield, but a move was "blocked" by PSG.
That's according to Marquinhos himself, who spoke about the incident to Le Parisian.
What has Marquinhos said?
The PSG captain was asked about Chelsea's interest in him, and simply replied: "No! It wasn't even an offer. In fact, the club blocked talks straight away. It shows the faith they have in me.
"It is an honour for a club like PSG to put such faith in me. The fact that others are interested in me means I am doing well.
"It gives me the motivation to go on, boost my training sessions and play even better. Paris and PSG are the only things on my mind."
Marquinhos took the PSG captaincy from Thiago Silva when his compatriot joined Chelsea in 2020. Rumours over the summer suggested Chelsea were preparing to launch a €100 million bid for Marquinhos, but that advance came to nothing, with PSG firm in their stance that the Brazilian wasn't for sale.
Chelsea instead focused their attention on Kounde, but were priced out of a move thanks to Sevilla's asking price.
Tuchel has instead given more minutes to the likes of Andreas Christensen, while Marquinhos has helped PSG to currently hold top spot of Ligue 1.
