Villarreal's Giovani Dos Santos claims he was the subject of offers from Manchester City and Chelsea back in 2008.
The 25-year old Mexico international joined Tottenham from Barcelona when Juande Ramos convinced him to make his way to north London before the Spaniard was sacked less than three months later.
Dos Santos' opportunities at White Hart Lane dried up after Harry Redknapp took the reins and he was subsequently farmed out on loan to Ipswich Town, Galatasaray and Racing Santander before being sold to Mallorca in 2012 but he suggests it could have turned out very different if he moved to either City or Chelsea.
"I had offers from Manchester [City] and Chelsea. But when Ramos called and explained I'd be a regular at Tottenham, I liked the idea of playing English football," Dos Santos says exclusively in the January 2015 issue of FourFourTwo.
"He was replaced by Redknapp. It was very frustrating for me because, like every footballer, I just wanted to play. I'd prepare for a game every three days then not play. I really wanted to do well, and the fans were supportive.
"I remember them singing 'When the Spurs go marching in'. Great fans - I had time to watch them because I didn't play!
"I liked London, too, and my home in Chigwell. Not the weather, though. It got dark at 4pm and it was always cold, cloudy and raining."
