South Africa legend Benni McCarthy opens up on how FAILED Chelsea move affected his mental healthy

Former South Africa international Benni McCarthy has revealed that a collapsed transfer to Chelsea F.C. in 2007 took a toll on his mental health and may have contributed to the weight issues that later affected the final years of his playing career.

McCarthy was in outstanding form with Blackburn Rovers F.C. during the 2006–07 Premier League season, scoring 18 goals — the second-highest tally in the competition that year.

Only Didier Drogba finished ahead of him with 20 goals, while the South African striker also outscored a then 22-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo, who netted 17 for Manchester United F.C..

His prolific campaign attracted interest from Chelsea, who were managed at the time by José Mourinho — the same coach under whom McCarthy won the UEFA Champions League with FC Porto in 2004.

Speaking to CapeTalk, McCarthy said his ambition had always been to earn a move to one of England’s top clubs competing for major honours.

“For me, it was like my ambition was to play amazingly and then get drafted by Chelsea or Man United, hopefully Man United, but a Champions League team and a team that wants to win and challenge for the Premier League,” McCarthy said.

Now the head coach of the Kenya national football team, McCarthy disclosed that Blackburn rejected three separate bids from Chelsea — £15 million, £17 million and a final offer of £22 million.

Despite the potential move, the striker said he chose not to force the issue out of respect for the club.

“I didn’t put up a fight because I respect the club and they held to their end of the bargain saying if a Champions League team comes in, if your old boss come and want you and comes for you, they’re not going to stand in your way, but it must be lucrative for the club.”

“So, if you bought me for 2.5 million and you get a chance to sell me for 22 million, how is that not lucrative enough for you? You make 10 times more than what you bought me for. You understand?” Benni McCarthy shared.

After the deal collapsed, McCarthy remained at Blackburn, but the situation changed when Sam Allardyce took over as manager.

“He (Allardyce) becomes critical about your weight and that, of course, I didn’t want to be there, and we know how English media works and operates with the leaks inside the dressing room. So that story stems from the period there.”

His form dipped significantly afterwards. Over the next three seasons with Blackburn, he managed just 19 goals, a sharp decline from his earlier productivity.

A subsequent move to West Ham United F.C. proved unsuccessful as he failed to score in the league, and he was controversially omitted from the South Africa national football team squad ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup due to off-field issues.

McCarthy, however, enjoyed a late-career resurgence with Orlando Pirates F.C.. Despite persistent injury problems, he scored 10 league goals to help the club secure the 2011–12 league title.

The former striker remains South Africa’s all-time leading scorer with 31 international goals, and the 2011–12 triumph still stands as Orlando Pirates’ most recent domestic league title.