According to the agent, the deal was on before the 2018 World Cup in Russia, when Smolov still played for Krasnodar.
Traore said that Krasnodar rejected the first few offers from the London club, and Smolov himself hoped to prove himself at the World Cup and move to a more famous team.
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At this time, Smolov believed that he could receive an offer from a more eminent club from Europe," he recalled to Matchtv.
"At that time, Fed was 28 years old - the ideal age to leave at the peak of his form, but he refused - and I was offended."