Desailly sold me Chelsea: Makelele

French midfielder Claude Makelele says that compatriot Marcel Desailly played a pivotal role in his 24-million-euro move to Premiership side Chelsea and claimed former employer Real Madrid has no respect for the playing staff.

Makelele, a Champions League winner with Real Madrid in 2002, insists he felt "wanted" by big-spending Chelsea - a feeling he lacked at Madrid.

"I could not stay at a club that shows no respect for its players," Makelele said Thursday in an interview with German magazine Kicker.

"I asked my international team-mate Marcel Desailly about Chelsea because I had a pile of offers to go elsewhere.

"Marcel convinced me that Chelsea would be the biggest club in England in the future and had ambitions on the international stage."

Makelele, 30, was quick to play down suggestions that money was the main motivation behind his move to Chelsea.

"It was not about money," he said. "It was a question of the communciation between the board and the players.

"Chelsea made me feel wanted, from the manager to the president."

Makelele's dispute with Real was over his salary, which was much less than the likes of Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo.

Chelsea lie second in the Premiership at present but Makelele is refusing to get carried away by talk of winning the title in his first season at Stamford Bridge.

"We are on the right track," insisted Makelele. "But the players do not know each other's game like at Manchester United or Arsenal.

"When we have that understanding Chelsea will be a difficult team to beat."