Real Betis winger Joaquin has revealed he turned down the advances of Real Madrid and Chelsea earlier in his career to stay in Seville.
Joaquin – a boyhood Betico who returned to Estadio Benito Villamarin in August 2015 – eventually left Los Verdiblancos in 2006 to join Valencia before later having stints at Malaga and Fiorentina.
However, he recalled the time when Madrid president Florentino Perez and iconic striker Raul attempted pressure him during a secret meeting in a bathroom.
"Real Madrid have always had a very big interest in me," Joaquin told Telecinco.
"I had a very difficult president at the time, but I was happy and wasn't going to force a move.
"My father wanted me to meet Mourinho but I didn't want to go to Chelsea…what is there to do in the middle of the afternoon in the UK? Go to sleep?"
The 35-year-old, who has won over 50 international caps for Spain, is now captain of his beloved Betis.
