Christian Eriksen said he turned down the chance to move to Manchester United because he wanted a new challenge away from the Premier League.
United were interested in the Danish midfielder as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer looked to strengthen his midfield and talks were held in the summer with Eriksen who was in a contract stand off with Spurs.
In the end Tottenham ending up selling Eriksen to Inter Milan during the January transfer window but the 27-year-old admitted that a move to United was on the cards at one point.
"For a few years but it was never really likely. We did speak to them of course and we did hear what was possible and what wasn't possible. But, in the end, me personally, I wanted a new challenge. To stay in the Premier League would have been an easy solution," Eriksen told the BBC.
"Of course, staying at Tottenham would also have been a solution but, for me, it just came down to wanting to try a new challenge in a new country. Once Inter came up it really wasn't a difficult choice."
MEN Sport reported last month that Solskjaer spoke with Eriksen personally in August to gauge how receptive he would be to moving to Manchester before United passed on the playmaker.
United were uneasy about the prospect of recruiting Eriksen due to the vested interest of Real Madrid. United sources suggested Madrid were lobbying Spurs to entertain interest from United to plunge Paul Pogba's future into further doubt and they ultimately prioritised keeping Pogba over a belated bid for Eriksen.
