Bacary Sagna was poised to join Chelsea on deadline day before Antonio Conte’s side completed a deal for Torino full-back Davide Zappacosta, reports L’Equipe, via Get French Football.
The former France international is a free agent after being released by Manchester City at the end of last season and is reportedly a target for Leicester.
However, it has now emerged that the 32-year-old was on the verge of joining Chelsea in the dying embers of last week’s transfer deadline only for a deal to collapse when the reigning Premier League champions signed Zappacosta.
Conte was desperate to bolster his options and provide Victor Moses with competition at right wing back and eventually prised Zappacosta away from Italian side Torino.
Only Alex Sandro (48) has made more accurate crosses from open play of Serie A defenders than Zappacosta (47) since January 2016.