PETER CROUCH has opened up on being linked with a sensational move to Chelsea.
The Stoke giant was one of several names to pop up when Antonio Conte was searching for a target man.
But Crouch, 37, insists he stayed focused on the Potters as he did not expect a Stamford Bridge switch.
He told the Daily Mail: “So there I was, sat at home a couple of weeks ago, when my phone started to beep and I heard I was trending on Twitter.
“I didn’t expect to see my name linked with Chelsea but that was the situation. It was all speculation, I suppose.
“Of course it was nice to get linked with a club of that stature — particularly as they were the club I used to watch when I was a kid — but I didn’t think much more about it.
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“There was never any strong interest. I heard Antonio Conte quite likes me as a player but I was only ever concentrating on Stoke.”
Chelsea eventually got their man as they landed Olivier Giroud, 31, from Arsenal.
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And Crouch reckons the Blues made the right choice – even if he thinks he is fitter than the Frenchman.
He added: ” I didn’t expect anything to happen and, as it turns out, Chelsea have gone on to make a great signing.
“I’ve always admired Olivier Giroud. He’s a top striker and maybe he didn’t get as many chances as he deserved at Arsenal.
“Conte likes playing with big target men and you only have to think about how he used Graziano Pelle when he was in charge of Italy.
“He was one of the best signings of the window. I’d go as far as to say they got themselves the division’s second best looking target man!”
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