Aurelien Tchouameni says he rejected Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp because as soon as Real Madrid came calling he "didn't hesitate".
The French international Tchouameni was at the top of the Reds' wanted list amid links with a move to both Anfield and Madrid. But Tchouameni, who had also been touted as a target for Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea, has decided on a move to the European champions.
The star midfielder has moved to the Spanish capital for a fee in the region of £68million, including add-ons, but only after Reds' boss Klopp made significant efforts to convince him of a switch to Merseyside. Klopp made a special trip to Monaco in order to convince the Frenchman to move to Anfield, while he also held a phone call with the midfielder.
Tchouameni was named Ligue 1's Young Player of the Year and has been named in the league’s Team of the Season for successive campaigns. Already established as a France international regular, there was little surprise that a number of clubs pursued his signature this summer.
At his unveiling as a Real Madrid player on Tuesday, the midfielder explained why he had no interest in joining any other club: "As soon as Real Madrid arrived on the scene, I did not hesitate. I want to leave a mark on football and the best club for this is Real Madrid. It's the best decision for me."
Alongside an approach from Liverpool, there was also an effort from Paris Saint-Germain to land the midfielder. At the head of this campaign was Tchouameni’s international teammate Kylian Mbappe, who himself rejected the opportunity of a move to the Spanish capital this summer.
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Tchouameni explained: "Kylian decided to stay at PSG and he already knew that I was going to leave Monaco and wanted to know if I could go to PSG, but I told him I wanted Madrid and he understood perfectly."
The midfielder swiftly added: "When Madrid called, I didn't hesitate and I talked about it with my family." When asked if Real Madrid’s successful Champions League campaign, in which they defeated Liverpool in the final, had anything to do with his decision, Tchouameni admitted that it had inspired him.
He continued: "In the Champions League final there were already negotiations between me and Real Madrid and it is true that when I watched the games against PSG and Man City, I wrote to my agent and told him: do everything possible to take me there, please."
While Liverpool have managed to secure a deal to sign Benfica striker Darwin Nunez, they have missed out on their prime midfield target for the summer transfer window.
