Lille midfielder Florian Thauvin, who is on loan at former club Bastia until the end of the season, has revealed that he chose his new club over Premier League interest in order to play football.
Thauvin, who reportedly rejected both Newcastle United and Arsenal to join Lille, said that he and his agents chose the "most appealing" offer from a footballing perspective.
"They're very big clubs and what's more the Premier League is a really big league, so I was really happy about their interest," he told beIN Sport. "It just makes me even more determined to get to the top.
"I thought about it with my agents. We've always put football first, and I thought the offer I got from Lille was the most appealing.
"Even if Lille are not doing so well this season, I'm convinced they'll get their focus back and have a really good season next season."
Lille are currently 10th in Ligue 1.
