Loic Remy was on the verge of pulling on a Liverpool shirt after his stellar performances for Newcastle but a medical setback saw him head to Chelsea instead
Abbie Meehan Sports Writer U-35s
11:18, 31 Jan 2026
The Frenchman looked set to head to Anfield(Image: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
Loic Remy was on the brink of donning a Liverpool jersey following his standout performances for Newcastle – but a medical hiccup saw him make a beeline for Chelsea instead. As the transfer window deadline looms, fans are reflecting on instances when deals seemed sealed only to unravel at the last minute.
A recent case in point is Marc Guehi’s expected switch to the Reds, which ended with him putting pen to paper for Manchester City a few months later. Choosing between Premier League clubs can be a tricky business, as Remy found out.
The French striker had sparkled during his loan stint at Newcastle from QPR, netting 14 goals and setting up three more across 27 appearances in the 2013/14 season. His stellar debut in England’s top tier caught the eye of several clubs, including Liverpool, then under the stewardship of Brendan Rodgers.
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The Anfield side triggered a release clause in Remy’s QPR contract and looked set to welcome him to Merseyside. The Frenchman joined the club on their pre-season tour of the United States, with the transfer seemingly in the bag.
However, the deal ultimately collapsed amid rumours of a botched medical. QPR boss Harry Redknapp at the time insisted it was “not possible” that the “very fit” Remy had hit a snag at the final hurdle, reports the Mirror.
Despite this disappointment, clubs continued to pursue the striker, with Chelsea ultimately securing his signature after seeing off a late bid from Arsenal. Speaking to Ladbrokes, Remy admitted he chose the Blues over the north London side because he believed Chelsea’s interest was more genuine.
He said: “Signing for Chelsea was the craziest move of my career, that’s for sure. I can remember being on holiday, back in my home country, on a small island, and my agent gave me a call to tell me that Liverpool wanted to sign me. They were training in Boston for pre-season. That was fantastic news for me, so I asked him about the next steps.
“My agent told me what I needed to do and where I needed to go, but at the time, I didn’t have my passport on me, so I couldn’t make it to Boston. At the time, my agent was the same as Patrice Evra’s – so Patrice’s brother went to Lyon, my hometown, to get my passport, I then travelled all the way to Paris, and met Patrice’s brother there, he gave me the passport and I flew straight to Boston.
Loic Remy joined the Blues over Arsenal(Image: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
“We arrived, me and my agent, and it all felt like a dream – it was happening so quickly. I met all the guys, started doing my interviews, and had a medical, but something was wrong.”
Though he managed just 12 goals in 47 outings and left Stamford Bridge three years after arriving, Remy did assist Jose Mourinho’s team in securing the Premier League crown and League Cup during his inaugural campaign.
Reflecting on his Chelsea move and Arsenal rejection, Remy added: “I didn’t know what was wrong, but they said I just needed to wait for a couple of days. 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 – they didn’t want to take the risk, and while I was so disappointed, I accepted it and went back to London, ready to start training with QPR again.
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“Despite netting only 12 goals in 47 appearances and departing Stamford Bridge three years after his arrival, Remy played a role in helping Jose Mourinho’s side clinch the Premier League title and League Cup during his first season.
Looking back on his Chelsea transfer and Arsenal snub, Remy added: “And then, Chelsea called my agent and said they wanted to sign me. They asked if I was available, which I was, and so we went to Cobham to do my medical.
“It’s funny, because just before we signed, my agent had a call from Arsenal, who were asking whether I’d signed or not. “No, no, he’s on his way to sign now. Tell him not to sign – we want him!”My agent told me this, and the market was so close to closing, and so he gave me the choice between Chelsea and Arsenal.
“In the end, I went with Chelsea because I just thought that Arsenal should have manifested themselves long before the end of the transfer window.”
Though he managed just 12 goals in 47 outings and left Stamford Bridge three years after arriving, Remy did assist Jose Mourinho’s team in securing the Premier League crown and League Cup during his inaugural campaign.