Former Spartak Moscow midfielder Pavel Yakovlev has admitted he regrets not joining Chelsea early in his career.

Yakovlev is quoted as saying by Tribal Football: “At the beginning of my career in Spartak, I spent good half a season, after which there were rumours that Chelsea wanted to move for me.

“We discussed this moment with the agent, he then told me that it was all real. I was also interesting Genk in Belgium and the Dutch PSV, if I am not mistaken.

“But we decided that it was cool in Russia. ‘We will make you a good salary now, you play for Spartak!’ I was told.”

“What do I think about it now? Of course, I should have left…”