Chelsea transfer news: PSG rejection of Blues' deadline day offer for Thomas Meunier revealed
Antonio Conte wanted to bring Meunier to Chelsea on deadline day of the summer transfer window.
Paris Saint-Germain rejected an offer from Chelsea for their defender Thomas Meunier on deadline day of the summer transfer window, the Belgium international has confirmed.
The right-back moved to Parc des Princes from Club Brugge in 2016. He started in 18 league games for the Ligue 1 giants and was competing with Serge Aurier for a place in the starting lineup.
Aurier moved to Tottenham Hotspur after Unai Emery added Dani Alves to his squad in the summer. The Brazilian moved to PSG on a free transfer in the summer. Antonio Conte wanted a wing-back after Chelsea failed to sign Alex Sandro from Juventus.
Meunier was considered as an option in that position and the west London club placed a late offer for his services. However, PSG turned down the approach from the Premier League winners as they had no intention of allowing the 26-year-old to leave the club.
"On the last day of the transfer period, they made an offer to Paris but I know it was no. From the club, they didn't want to sell me - because we [have] two right-backs, with Dani Alves and me, it was difficult to sell one," Meunier explained, as quoted by the Evening Standard.
"I didn't really think about it [moving to England] because they called me in they told me 'you will not move at all so don't think about Chelsea or another club, you will not move so you stay in Paris and we are counting on you for the rest of the season'."
Chelsea were forced to sign Italian international Davide Zappacosta from Torino, who arrived at the club on the final day of the summer transfer window.
In the 2017/18 season, Meunier has made only six starts in the Ligue 1 for PSG. In addition to this, he has been an unused substitute in the Champions League as he is yet to make an appearance in the European competition.
The full-back has publicly expressed his desire to play regular football at PSG. Manchester United are reportedly interested in signing Meunier should he get frustrated with lack of playing time with his current employers.