This former Chelsea winger has revealed that rivals Tottenham were once interested in him but he was put off a move after having a call with a Spurs legend
Shaun Wright-Phillips says Tottenham were interested in him when he played for Chelsea(Image: In The Mixer)
Ex-Chelsea winger Shaun Wright-Phillips says he was dissuaded from joining Tottenham after a phone call with Jermain Defoe. The English wide player left Stamford Bridge in 2008 when he returned to Manchester City and would go on to play for QPR.
Wright-Phillips enjoyed a lengthy Premier League career, starting in Nottingham Forest’s academy before a move to City. There, he emerged into the first team and later left for Chelsea in a £21million move.
He played under Jose Mourinho in west London and won a Premier League title, the FA Cup and a League Cup. In 2008, he was preparing to bid farewell to the London club and suitors swirled.
The 44-year-old claims that before he made up his mind and returned to City, Tottenham showed interest in him, but he was put off making the move after a phone call with friend Defoe.
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“It was a weird situation because I always said when I left City I would go back and play one more spell there. I didn’t expect it to come as soon as it did because I could have still stayed at Chelsea,” said Wright-Phillips, speaking on In The Mixer, brought to you by Sky Bet.
“They weren’t pushing me out the door or anything like that. They wanted me to stay. But it was because of England. They wanted you to have more game time [in order to play for them].
Defoe is a Tottenham legend(Image: Getty)
“I had to make a decision and Spurs were floating around. I spoke to JD [Jermain Defoe]. But he said, ‘It’s not what you think it is.’ That was enough for me. I signed the deal for me to go back to City straight away!”
Wright-Phillips also recalled another incident from his Chelsea days involving their London rivals Tottenham, when a Mourinho prediction came eerily true.
“He [Mourinho] made it very easy to feel part of that family without necessarily playing all the time,” Wright-Phillips added. “He made you have a role in that team. I played all the cup games one year and we had Spurs. He came up to me on Tuesday, Wednesday [before the first leg] and said, ‘Not going to play you.’ In my head, I’m thinking, ‘What’s going on?’
“Then he said, ‘I’ve got a feeling we’re going to be two-nil down at half-time. You’re going to come on. We’re going to draw the game. We are going to go to White Hart Lane and we are going to win.’
Wright-Phillips left Chelsea in 2008(Image: Getty)
“That’s exactly what happened. Look back. We were 2-0 down and we were playing terribly. I think he brings me on in the 35th minute or at half time. We draw and we go to White Hart Lane and win.
“After that, I was like, ‘If I’m not playing, I can’t even go and have an argument with the man.’ Because he knows what’s going to happen. He was always a session ahead. He thought about everything.”
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