Roma star Radja Nainggolan has revealed his reason for rejecting a transfer move to Chelsea.
Nainggolan held advanced talks with the Premier League champions shortly after Antonio Conte took over the reins back in 2016 and was again linked last summer.
However, the Belgium midfielder signed a new contract at the Stadio Olimpico last July and has no plans to leave the Italian capital for Stamford Bridge.
“I could have gone to Chelsea and many other clubs, but starting something new when you are 28, 29, in a new culture, another lifestyle, that’s not for me,” Nainggolan told Sport Voetbal Magazine.
“I prefer to stay where I feel good. If money were my only motivation, I would have changed clubs many times and my salary would have grown, but my first priority is to live well.
“You need to live well and be happy playing where you are and I have both of those things here. Everything is perfect; my family is happy in Rome.”
Eden Hazard admitted earlier that he would love for Belgium team-mate Nainggolan to join him at Chelsea. Conte has also made no secret of his admiration for Nainggolan and confirmed that Chelsea failed with a bid to sign the Belgian.
“In the past, we tried to buy him but now Nainggolan is Roma’s player,” Conte revealed back in October.
“I have great respect for him, great respect for Roma and great respect for my players. ‘It’s not right to speak about him. He’s a really good player, for me one of the best midfielders, but he’s an opponent.”
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