Orkun Kokcu admits he had offers from the Premier League before moving to Benfica.
The midfielder, who has been linked with Liverpool, left Feyenoord for Benfica in a deal worth €25m last year.
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Kokcu recalled: “We were champions and was chosen as the Player of the Year in the Netherlands. In the middle of the season we started negotiating with several clubs in the Premier League, Serie A, Bundesliga and Benfica.
"When I realised that Benfica was seriously interested in me I evaluated the situation with my family.
“Instead of staying on the bench in England I preferred Benfica because I could play regularly and improve my performance even more.”
He added, “There were offers from the Premier League, Bundesliga and Serie A, but Benfica were very insistent."