Ghana defender Baba Rahman has opened up about his bittersweet time at Chelsea, admitting he is saddened that things didn’t go as he had hoped after joining the club in 2015.
Rahman signed for Chelsea on a five-year deal for an undisclosed fee, initially reported to be £14 million, with the potential to rise to £22 million. Despite spending eight years at Stamford Bridge, the left-back made only 23 first-team appearances for the Blues, largely due to a series of injuries and multiple loan spells.
Speaking to BBC Sport Africa, Rahman reflected on his Chelsea experience: “I am sad things didn’t work out at Chelsea. I just had so many bad injuries, and because I wasn’t 100% fit, I wasn’t able to give my absolute best.”
The 30-year-old named Eden Hazard as the best player he played alongside at Chelsea, but it was Dr. Paco Biosca, the club's former medical director, who had the most profound impact on his career. Rahman credits Dr. Paco for convincing him not to retire after suffering a second ACL injury.
“I owe them a lot because it was Dr. Paco who convinced me not to retire after my second ACL injury,” Rahman shared with BBC Sport Africa.
Rahman came close to quitting football in 2019 after suffering his second ACL injury, having only just returned from another serious knee injury the previous year. “It had taken me 18 months to come back, and when the doctor told me I had another ACL injury, I decided that I had had enough,” he recalls.
“I told my family I was quitting. But Dr. Paco said that he had seen other players come back and promised that if I was patient and mentally strong, I could do it too. I slept on it and then decided I wanted to fight for my career.”
Now, Rahman is grateful for the second chance football has given him, and is focused on enjoying every moment of his career. “I’m just trying to enjoy it to the last moment.”
