Greek side PAOK left back Abdul Baba Rahman, has revealed events leading up to his loan departure from Stamford Bridge to Schalke 04 in 2016

The 26 year old defender, joined Chelsea from German fold Augsburg in 2015 in a £23 million ($31m) from the German club.

In his first season, Baba made 15 Premier League appearances, having signed for the London-based club during the managerial reign of Jose Mourinho.

Baba, was among the casualties at Blues after newly-appointed Chelsea manager Conte hit the ground running at Stamford Bridge.

In an interview with Joy Sports, Baba opened up on his loan move away to Schalke 04 in 2016, revealing a fall-out with then manager Antonio Conte forced his exit.

“I left Chelsea because I didn’t get on well with Conte. When he arrived I had a first meeting with him before the season ended. He told me how he wanted to play and how I can be in the team if I decide to stay. So I said okay that’s fine. When we went on vacation and came back, he was at the Euros so we started the pre-season and then he came to join us. And during the pre-season I didn’t like the way he was reacting toward me. So I went to speak to the Sporting Director and I told him my worries. I told him this is what is happening in training and I don’t have confidence anymore and if I would stay here I will not be confident enough to show my qualities”,

Baba continued: “The first meeting, he told me to just keep calm and keep working hard so I said that’s fine. This was in London and then we went to Austria and it started getting worse and that’s when I said no, I can’t take it anymore.”

When pressed for specifics about Conte’s treatment, he said

“I don’t know maybe my name was easy on his tongue, like every small thing was like ‘Baba’ ‘Baba’ and most of the players came to ask me what’s going on and I said I don’t know.”

Rahman recalls that his former team mate, John Mikel Obi advised him not worry about how Conte was treating him but he refused to listen – something he looks now ascribes to immaturity.

“Mikel Obi told me to just stay and shouldn’t bother what [Conte] is doing, but as young as I was , I was not taking it lightly so when we went to Austria I spoke to the Sporting Director and told him [that] it is going overboard and I can’t take it. So they told me okay, so what do you want to do? I told them I would prefer to leave and they said no the club don’t want to sell me. So I said okay, if that’s so then I would prefer to go on loan from here.”

Subsequently he joined Schalke on a season-long loan, reuniting with former coach Markus Weinzierl, his former manager at Augsburg.

“The then coach of Schalke 04 was my former coach in Augsburg so he called me and told me, Baba you know if you are not feeling good at Chelsea, you know I’m here to help you. I’m in Schalke now so if you want to come that’s fine,” the former Dreams Fc star added.

Baba Rahman Baba is currently back at Chelsea after a short-term deal with Greek side PAOK during the second half of last season where he won he Greek Cup – his first piece of silverware since moving to Europe.