Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic says the lack of regular first-team football was the reason why he turned down a move to Chelsea when he was 16.
The Croatia international was linked with a possible move to Stamford Bridge when at Basel but opted to reject the move after he was convinced by the lack of regular football enjoyed by Jonas Elmer who joined the Blues at the young age of 17.
"I wanted to stay at home," he told FourFourTwo.
"I had a really special relationship with the president of Basel.
"It was much better for me to do pre-season with the first team there and then work my way gradually to the top.
"There was another guy in my situation, Jonas Elmer, who moved from Zurich to Chelsea at the age of 17.
"He ended up playing in the second division in Switzerland. Maybe that could have been me."
