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‘I rejected Arsenal and signed for Chelsea, and it was my best decision ever’

Ex-Chelsea forward Loic Remy has lifted the lid on how he could've joined the Blues' Premier League and London rivals Arsenal, but insists he has no regrets over snubbing the Gunners

Loic Remy playing for Chelsea

Loic Remy spent two seasons at Chelsea

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Image: 2015 Getty Images)

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Ex-Chelsea striker Loic Remy has said he has no qualms about choosing the Blues over Arsenal.

Remy made the switch from Queens Park Rangers to Chelsea in 2014, signing a £10.5million deal. During his two-year stint at Stamford Bridge, he clinched the Premier League and League Cup under the guidance of Jose Mourinho.

After making a name for himself in France with stints at Nice and Marseille, Remy moved to the Premier League via QPR. A successful loan spell at Newcastle then caught the attention of some of England's top clubs.

Despite Arsenal's interest, Remy confessed to Plejmo that his heart was set on west London. "I could've pushed to join Arsenal over Chelsea but I have zero regrets," he said.

"It's one of the best decisions I made in my career. It was a natural choice for me to step up after a very good season at Newcastle personally, Chelsea came in and only on the last day of the transfer window did my agent find out about the interest from Arsenal."

Remy clocked 47 appearances and 12 goals for Chelsea, who go to Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday (1.30pm). Although he won the top prize, the 38-year-old does harbour one slight regret, as per Football London.

"I have no regrets after going to Chelsea and winning the Premier League, my only regret is that I didn't play as much as I would have liked," he said. "Apart from that it was a time alongside fantastic players and I'll remember it forever."

Loic Remy celebrates for Chelsea in 2015

Loic Remy scored 12 goals for Chelsea ( Image: Reuters / Tony O'Brien)

While Remy might have been donning the Arsenal kit, he was actually on the verge of a Liverpool move before he put pen to paper with Chelsea.

However, after Liverpool triggered a release clause with QPR, it emerged that Remy didn't pass his medical at Anfield, paving the way for his transfer to Stamford Bridge. "I didn't know what was wrong, but they said I just needed to wait for a couple of days," Remy said about it earlier this year.

"At this moment, I was a Liverpool player as far as I was concerned, because I'd done the interviews, and I still have a picture of myself on my phone, holding their scarf. It was a very proud moment for me, but two days later I found out that there was a problem with my medical, and the deal was off."

Liverpool's Glen Johnson in action with Chelsea's Loic Remy

Loic Remy revealed he could have also joined Liverpool before he moved to Chelsea

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Image:

Reuters / Eddie Keogh)

Nonetheless, Remy remains an avid follower of the Blues and has confidently claimed that Enzo Maresca's squad will win the UEFA Conference League title this season.

Chelsea secured their spot in the quarter-finals of the competition on Thursday night when Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall netted a second-half decider to edge past FC Copenhagen 1-0 on the evening, culminating in a 3-1 victory on aggregate.

"They have strong players on the bench and a lot of quality when it comes to scoring goals," Remy said. "I think Chelsea will win the Conference League and get into the top four. They have a great chance of winning the trophy and I don't see why they won't."

Following his departure from Chelsea, Remy had stints with Crystal Palace, Las Palmas, Getafe, Lille and Turkish teams Çaykur Rizespor and Adana Demirspor. He hung up his boots after a final season back home with Brest in 2023.

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