Inter Milan midfielder Radja Nainggolan has said he he has no regrets about turning down a move to the Premier League as he continues to enjoy life in Italy after leaving Roma in the summer.
The former Belgium international has had offers from Chelsea and Manchester United in the past but said he valued the quality of life he has in Italy over the money he could have earned in England.
“I have had plenty of chances to leave,” he told ESPN FC. “I am the kind of person who above all needs to live well and be at a club which plays to win, or where I am happy with my life.
“In Italy, you live really well — I like the culture and way of life here. Chelsea offered me more money [while at Roma in 2017] and they are a big club, yes.
“But I’m interested in waking up in the morning in a place where I feel good and, at the age of 29, winning back all the respect I’d worked 12 years to earn in Italy was not for me.
“There are lots of components — lots to evaluate. I stayed in Italy, with Roma, because I wanted to end in the best way possible. There was Manchester too. There were many things that I was not interested in at all. Of course you are flattered by the interest, but this is how it is.
“I’ve come to a club who are looking to build something big, so I think I’m in the right place.”
Nainggolan nevertheless said Premier League football has its appeal. “I think if you want a spectacle, you need to watch English football,” he said. “In terms of the fans, the stadiums being full, the pitches being perfect — and it seems like the action is in fast-forward.
“The rhythm is so high, but it’s not as tactical as it is in Italy. If you were to ask me which league I’d like to play in, maybe I’d say England for the spectacle, but I’ve been here for so long now that I’m perfectly happy here and I don’t need to change anything.”
Be the first to comment