World Cup winner was set to head to England.
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Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi has revealed that he came close to leaving the club this summer with Manchester United and Chelsea leading the chase for his signature, the Daily Star reports.
However, having attracted a significant amount of attention from around Europe, he opted to stay put at the Stadio Olympico and stick with the club he has been with for his entire career.
But the 30-year-old has admitted that he did consider moving on after being left heartbroken by the Roma fans not wanting him anymore.
“There was a lot of talk about me leaving this summer,” De Rossi said.
“When I spoke to the Coach and the club, seeing as I like to always be clear, for the first time ever I said I’d be willing to listen to any offers.
“I’d see them, evaluate them, whereas in previous years I had always turned down any proposal without even hearing who it was from.
“This year I felt that it could be the right year to change or at least listen to what was out there.
“As you know, last season things didn’t go well for me and I wanted the best both for me and above all, and I say above all, for Roma.
“Being a Roma player and not making the fans happy, not having everyone agree you should be there, is a pretty crushing blow for me.
“There were many things that weren’t going well at Roma, but for me there was something even more important.
“I couldn’t bear to think that my last game in a Roma jersey would be that Coppa Italia Final lost to Lazio.
“I could imagine myself in any team in the world, lifting any trophy, but to think my last match for Roma was a lost Final Derby was the wrong ending for one of the greatest love stories between a club and a player. I couldn’t do it.”