Transfer Decision Quotes

When you leave a club like Liverpool, you have to go somewhere you'll feel comfortable and progress as a player. To come to Stoke was an easy decision.

There was an offer from Tottenham when I was leaving Spain to go to Milan, and at the time, I chose to go to Milan because of their history and tradition in the world of football.

Liverpool are a massive club with a big history that has won many trophies over the years, and as soon as I was told of the possibility to come here, and I knew the manager wanted me, I said yes.

From the moment I first spoke with him, I knew that I wanted to join Liverpool. I fell for Klopp - hook, line, and sinker.

I don't regret my choice to sign for Milan.

Roma must have been mad to sell Mo Salah. Either that or they really needed the money.

Barcelona is a fantastic football club, and I don't think there are many players who would be able to say no to them.

I spoke with Van Gaal, and he said that I only had a one per cent chance of playing in my position, so I headed to Bayer.

I didn't want to go to Chelsea, because I wanted to play the Champions League and they were sixth in the league.

The wrong team wanted me, by the way - of course United. I spoke with Van Gaal, and they even made an offer, but for me, it was not the right club and not the right moment.

When Manchester City came for me it was the best choice to come here.

I would never have left Everton if it hadn't been Manchester United.

It was complicated at Madrid. I was suspicious. The lack of recognition for Makelele over there scared me. I was scared it would happen to me. But I should have gone there. Today, I don't regret the career that I have had, but if I could have changed one thing, it would be that: to go to Madrid.

I would never have left Everton for anybody but an ambitious football club. And I thought Manchester United would have given me that opportunity.

From the moment Arsenal made an approach, everything was clear for me. I'm not going to lie, I thought it would happen later in my career. But joining such a club at 19, any player would like that.

I really felt Dortmund was the right club for me. They spoke to me and said the right things I wanted to hear.

Despite all that has happened in his career since, one of the biggest regrets of my life in management is not taking Luis Suarez to Tottenham when we had the chance.

Pellegrini was the biggest factor for me to be joining West Ham.

When I was at Liverpool, I asked about Van Dijk when he was at Groningen and then at Celtic. But I was told he wouldn't be for us at the time. Van Dijk could have jumped from Celtic to a Liverpool.

When it became clear that I couldn't stay at Bayern I thought about going to play in Spain or Italy. Fiorentina came forward, they were looking for a striker, and everything happened very quickly.

City's boss and owner came with a very good proposal. They showed me that City has the ambition to be one of the biggest clubs in the world. This made it easy to make the move. Money was never important.

When I was at Villa and I was captain there and I had the opportunity to go to City, it played on my mind I wouldn't be as pivotal. So initially I didn't want to go, but a lot of things happened behind the scenes and I realised I had to go.

Sure, Mourinho was obviously crucial for my move to Chelsea.

A team like Liverpool you are not going to turn down.

I want to play football, I love to play football so if that opportunity is not going to be given there [Manchester City] then I'm going to have to look elsewhere and may have to make somewhere else my home.