Moses rejected moves to Chelsea and Spurs, says former coach

Victor Moses: Wing-back has impressed this term

Victor Moses: Wing-back has impressed this term

Victor Moses snubbed the opportunity to join Chelsea and Tottenham as a youngster back in 2004, according to the player’s former coach.

The Nigeria international has become a vital part of Antonio Conte’s 3-5-2 formation this season, with the Blues winning all five games in which Moses has started in his new wing-back role.

Moses has had something of a nomadic career to date, but the man who coached Moses at amateur club Cosmos 90 – and set him up with his first club, Crystal Palace, reckons his career could have taken a different path had he not signed for the Eagles.

Speaking to Goal, former Arsenal trainee, Tony Loizi, said: “So many clubs were after him and then Crystal Palace came in.

“Tottenham in particular were looking at him for a long time, but I’m glad that he chose Palace. If he went to Chelsea or Tottenham, he might not have made it.”

“I said to him: ‘look, Victor, there’s no way I would hold you back’ and I asked him to come to Crystal Palace with me. I went down there after the two-week trial and they were signing the schoolboy contracts.



 

“Chelsea were also in for him and I said: ‘if you sign for Palace you will get to the first team quicker than at any of the other clubs’, and in the end he chose to stay with them after his trial.”

Moses made his Palace debut at the age of 16 in 2007, less than three years after signing his first contract with the club, and has since played for Wigan, while enjoying loan spells with Liverpool, West Ham and Stoke.