Tottenham defender Danny Rose has revealed that a club wanted to check that he was “not crazy” during transfer talks held in the wake of his mental health admission in 2018.
The England international earned widespread praise when going public with his struggles ahead of the World Cup finals in Russia.
Rose, in a frank and honest interview, conceded that depression had made it difficult to get out of bed and left him on medication for several months.
The 28-year-old saw several triggers in his professional and personal life, but insists that an ability to do his “job” was never impacted.
Others did not see things that way, with Rose stunned to discover how interested parties viewed him during a meeting to discuss a potential move away from Spurs.
He told the BBC One documentary A Royal Team Talk: Tackling Mental Health of his experiences: “I think there’s still a long way to go in football because in the summer I was speaking to another club, and they said, ‘the club would like to meet you, just to check that you’re not crazy’.
“It was because of what I’d said and what I’d been through.
“I was embarrassed, as whatever I’ve been through I like to think it doesn’t affect me doing my job.
“I still know I’ll always give 100 per cent.”
In the end, no formal offer was tabled for Rose and he went on to help England reach the semi-finals of the World Cup.
He has also earned favour again at Tottenham this season, becoming Mauricio Pochettino’s preferred option at left-back during runs to a top-four finish in the Premier League and the Champions League final.
Everything has worked out for the best, with Rose admitting that he would never consider joining the club that approached him last summer if another move were to be made.
He added: “In the end they didn’t put a bid in.
“But to think that people assume I might be crazy is embarrassing and I’m still angry about it to this day.
“If that opportunity came around again I’d definitely say no now.”
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