Besiktas president Serdat Bilgili reacted to the news that Chelsea have pulled out of the deal to sign Real Madrid pair Geremi and Flavio Conceicao by extending a trip to Spain to discuss snapping up the midfielders with Bernabeu sports director Jorge Valdano.
Bilgili met Valdano after being tipped off that Chelsea had shelved their attempt to sign the midfielders because they could not afford them.
Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri confirmed on Wednesday that he has given up on attempts to sign the players.
« It was all fixed with Real, but Chelsea rang me and said that we would have to pull out of the deal for these two lads because we could not afford it, » explained the coach.
Cameroon wing-back Geremi was expected to seal a £7.5 million switch to Stamford Bridge, while Brazilian midfielder Flavio was set to swap the Bernabeu for a year’s loan in west London.
Geremi is understood to be reticent on a return to Turkey, where he spent two seasons with Genclerbirligi before joining the Bernabeu club on the recommendation of former Real coach John Toshack in 1999.
