Former Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack has admitted he regrets leaving Chelsea ten years ago and wishes he had retired at the Stamford Bridge.
Ballack left Chelsea at the end of the 2009/10 season after he was offered just a one-year contract extension. Chelsea have a policy of offering players over the age of 30, one-year contract extensions.
Ballack told Sky Sports: “Carlo Ancelotti wanted me to stay but the club made a decision to only give players of that age a one-year contract. I wanted two.
“Today I can say maybe it was wrong, I should have stayed even for that one year.
“I could never imagine that I would go back to Bayer Leverkusen until the last day, I actually thought we would find a way at Chelsea.
“I was really hoping I could stay until the end.”
Ballack enjoyed a glittering career with Chelsea, winning the Premier League, two FA Cups, the League Cup and the Community Shield.