I joined Chelsea but could've signed for Liverpool – a deal was pretty close

Florent Malouda has opened up about how close he came to signing for Liverpool instead of Chelsea. The winger was a target for the Reds, with then-Lyon manager Gerard Houllier keen to see Malouda join his former club.

Back in 2007, were riding high after their second Champions League final appearance in three seasons and had already secured the services of Fernando Torres from Atletico Madrid, alongside other notable signings like Lucas Leiva, Yossi Benayoun, and Ryan Babel.

Despite transfer dealings, was the one who slipped through the net. The Frenchman eventually spent six years at making 229 appearances for the club, but recently reminisced about how close he came to choosing Liverpool over both Chelsea and Real Madrid.

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"I mean it was just a matter of timing because the deal was pretty close because it was actually Gerard Houllier who made the deal," Malouda admitted to "Houllier was a mentor to me. I always went to him for advice, he was always praising the Premier League.

"I remember we were on the training ground, I think he called (Liverpool chief executive) Rick Parry and confirmed there was an interest. He was pushing for me to go there.

"But in terms of timing it was more like I was expecting an offer from Chelsea just to have options. Real Madrid as well at the time made an offer."

Malouda was the only high-profile signing in a relatively low-key summer window for Chelsea. Tal Ben Haim, Steve Sidwell, and Caludio Pizarro all arrived as free agents, while Alex was finally brought to west London after spending three years on loan at PSV Eindhoven.

Reflecting on his decision, Malouda shared why Chelsea was seemingly always his first choice. "So it was more about timing and my connections with the players in the dressing room, because obviously I knew Didier Drogba," Malouda explained. "I was playing in the national team with Claude Makelele, with William Gallas. I played with Michael Essien.

"Before joining, I came a few times in London to support Drogba. So I had more connections with the players on the Chelsea side and I had more connections with Liverpool on the management side. But I mean history proved that it was not a bad choice to join Chelsea!"

When Lyon set a June 30 deadline for their winger to decide his future, Malouda openly discussed Chelsea and Liverpool's interest. His transfer saga ended with a £13million switch to Stamford Bridge, setting the stage for glory as he later lifted the Premier League title, three FA Cups, and the Champions League trophy with the Blues.

Former Liverpool manager Benitez's view on Malouda's decision was clear, as he implied financial motivations had influenced the winger's choice. "Some players prefer more money and it's something you cannot control," Benitez remarked in August 2007. "Malouda was one of our names but decided to go to Chelsea.

"He knows why. I don't think it was because of the London lifestyle. The money? I don't want to say anything, but I know the answer. Those players are not here, but I'm really pleased with my squad."

Benitez and Malouda's paths crossed again during the Spanish manager's stint as Chelsea's interim boss in the 2012/13 season. However, Malouda didn't get a look in during Benitez's reign, having been left out of the first team squad after failing to secure a summer transfer away from the Blues.

After his time at Chelsea ended in 2013, Malouda was snapped up by Turkish outfit Trabzonspor. He later returned to France with Metz before signing for Indian Super League side Delhi Dynamos.

The forward also had a loan spell at Egyptian club Wadi Degla as he neared the end of his career. Now aged 44, Malouda has been retired for seven years following a brief stint with FC Differdange 03 in Luxembourg.