Carlton Cole reveals Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich owner refuses to sell players to Tottenham

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich refuses to sell players to the club’s bitter rivals Tottenham.

The Blues and Tottenham share hostility as local rivals, and the Russian owner who bought the Stamford Bridge club in 2003, continues to make sure that rivalry is kept alive.

Former player Carlton Cole has told the story of how Abramovich stopped the striker from moving to Spurs, even after he had already completed a medical.

Carlton Cole almost left Chelsea to join rivals Tottenham before the move was called off

Owner Roman Abramovich called Cole at the last second to tell him the move wouldn’t happen

He told Talksport as per the Daily Mirror: ‘I almost joined Spurs. I went and did my medical and everything.

‘Roman Abramovich found out and he said ‘you’ve got to come back, you’re not joining them’. He said ‘you can’t go to Spurs, I don’t do business with them’.’

The only player to leave Chelsea for Tottenham since 2003 was goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini, who left on a free transfer in 2009.

Cole came through the youth academy at Chelsea making his first-team debut in 2002.

The Englishman eventually left for one of Chelsea’s other London rivals, West Ham, in 2006 after making 31 appearances for the Blues.

However this came after Abramovich proposed a very different career path for Cole by suggesting a move abroad. 

Cole was eventually joined West Ham despite Abramovich suggesting a move abroad

He said: ”I’ve got an alternative for you’ (said Abramovich). I drive back to Stamford Bridge with my uncle and my dad.

‘He had his interpreter with him. Roman Abramovich was there, we were talking. I was saying ‘where am I going?’

‘He said, ‘I will give you a new contract but you’ve got to go to CSKA Moscow’ – his other team.

‘I was trying to get into the England team. Those days you could not go abroad. If you go abroad you don’t get in the England team. So I said to him, ‘I ain’t going to CSKA Moscow, pal.'”