Gallas rejected Juventus to sign for Spurs

The 33-year-old was snapped up on a free transfer by Spurs boss Harry Redknapp last June after being told his contract with Arsenal would not be renewed.

And after putting in a stellar performance in Tottenham's Champions League last-16 second leg win over AC Milan on Wednesday evening, Gallas revealed that family motives were behind his shock move across North London.

"Everyone said I had no club this summer," Gallas told L'Equipe. "But it's because I said no to many clubs.

"I had Juventus, I told them 'no' because my family came first. I wanted to stay in London. PSG also wanted me to sign for them. I did not want to go there.

"So people should stop talking nonsense like William Gallas had no club and at the last moment he found Tottenham.

"No, it's just that William Gallas wanted to stay in London for his family. I have four children and I think about my family first. And Tottenham was a good opportunity."

The Frenchman has been rolling back the years with several top-drawer showings for Spurs this season and admits that would relish the opportunity to prolong his Spurs career, and hopefully their Champions League adventure, next season.

He added: "We are fifth in the Premier League and our target is to qualify for the Champions League.

"Tottenham has to be big, I play with big players. It will be very important to be in the Champions League next season.

"So I will do my best to give everything for the fans because they deserve it. They are unbelievable. Like I say, Tottenham has to be big."

By James Martini

Nick Moore

Nick Moore is a freelance journalist based on the Isle of Skye, Scotland. He wrote his first FourFourTwo feature in 2001 about Gerard Houllier's cup-treble-winning Liverpool side, and has continued to ink his witty words for the mag ever since. Nick has produced FFT's 'Ask A Silly Question' interview for 16 years, once getting Peter Crouch to confess that he dreams about being a dwarf.