Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder has admitted that he thought a summer move to Manchester United was "close".
The 29-year-old Dutch international had been linked with a move to Old Trafford for much of the transfer window.
Sneijder told Dutch newspaper AD: "I just felt that it was close, yes [I thought I was going]."
He had earlier this summer said that he believed Inter needed the money from his sale but striker Samuel Eto'o was then sold to Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala.
"We had several talks, the situation was such that Inter had to sell a player, Eto'o or me, and indeed there was interest," he added.
"[Manchester United] are one of the biggest clubs in the world, so it did not seem a bad thing - but at the same time I do not want to leave Inter.
"Italy is great for me, and I cannot exclude that [United] got that feeling, for me a move was not an absolute must and there were a few things which meant it did not happen."
Sneijder has yet to begin his league campaign with Inter this season because of player strikes in Italy.
Pascal Lemesre
