Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo insists it was Saul Niguez's decision to leave for Chelsea.
The midfielder moved to the Blues on transfer deadline day last week for a season-long loan.
Cerezo stated, "Saul wanted to leave.
"His desire was to join Chelsea, we agreed. I was not worried in the last minutes of the transfer, although the Saul deal was closed at 23.57.
"We, in turn, acquired (Antoine) Griezmann, as planned."
Chelsea took the 26-year-old on-loan for €5m with a permanent option for €35m.
Need a VPN? Or seeking to switch? Then support Tribal Football by clicking here to sign up with our official partners NordVPN. Not only will you receive the best VPN experience, but also great discounts by signing up via Tribal Football. Thanks for your support!