I didn't realise Chelsea's plan for me after transfer – had I known I'd have gone elsewhere

Alexandre Pato confessed that he would have rejected Chelsea had he known his loan transfer didn't come with an obligation to buy.

The former AC Milan sensation made the switch to Stamford Bridge in January 2016 on a six-month loan from parent club Corinthians.

At just 26, Pato had already made a name for himself at AC Milan, where he was considered one of the most promising young strikers in global football.

However, injuries hampered his progress, limiting him to just 25 appearances over his final two seasons in Milan. The Brazilian returned to his home country and, after regaining form during a two-year loan spell with Sao Paulo, Chelsea came knocking.

Pato became Guus Hiddink's first signing after he took over from the dismissed Jose Mourinho in December. Despite joining in late January, it wasn't until April that Pato made his debut, scoring a penalty in a 4-0 victory over Aston Villa.

He only made one more appearance for the club before moving to La Liga side Villarreal on a permanent deal. Reflecting on his time in west London in 2022, Pato confessed that his unusual stint at Chelsea left him puzzled.

He admitted that he would have reconsidered his decision if he had known that the club were not obligated to sign him permanently following the end of his loan spell, reports the Mirror.

"I still didn't get it," he said. "I thought that Chelsea would loan me for six months and then I'd sign for three years. I didn't realise that they could say no after the loan. Had I known? I would have gone elsewhere.

"It was a pity, because I was training really well, and the coach only played me twice. I never understood why."

Pato's arrival came during what proved to be an enormously disappointing Premier League title defence for the Blues, who managed just three victories from their opening 12 league fixtures.

Whilst their form showed signs of improvement under Hiddink – who was enjoying his second spell as Chelsea manager – they secured just one victory from their final seven matches as their belated European qualification push collapsed, ultimately settling for a 10th-place finish.

Normal service resumed for the Blues the following campaign, having appointed Antonio Conte as head coach. The Italian guided the club to their fifth Premier League crown whilst establishing the record for most victories in a single season (30), which was subsequently surpassed the following year by Manchester City (32) during their centurion campaign.

Pato enjoyed spells in China, America, and Brazil following his transfer to Villarreal, which similarly failed to materialise before he hung up his boots in 2023.

Despite being regarded as one of the most promising talents of his generation, Pato never truly realised his potential. He concluded his career with 189 goals and 60 assists across 500 club appearances, whilst his international record for Brazil stood at 27 caps and 10 goals.

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