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Continuing our theme of backroom transfer politics - have you considered my offer of a striker or three, Alexey? - here's a fun bit from Chelsea FFP-profit vehicle Kevin De Bruyne.
De Bruyne, now at Wolfsburg, apparently wanted to join Borussia Dortmund in the summer, but "Mourinho said no." And according to the player, the main reason for that block was Chelsea missing out on Robert Lewandowski.
"That's what they told me and also my advisor."
"But that is professional football. Where there is a lot of money changing hands, there is also a lot of politics."
Scandalous!
While this is being painted as a unilaterally Jose Mourinho decision, we should keep in mind that Mourinho is not in charge of transfers at Chelsea. And at least publicly, the manager always maintained that De Bruyne had a role to play, so even if we were miffed over Lewandowski chosing Bayern instead of Chelsea, I don't think we ended up hanging on to the Belgian just as some sort of petty revenge move.*
But it does make for a good story.
* Aleks sums it up well in a comment below:
If our club used that logic Mata wouldn't be at United after they refused to sell us Rooney. Besides, I think Dortmund would be happy to let us have Lewandowski instead of Bayern. Lewa himself was the issue.