Roma star Radja Nainggolan has hinted he wanted to join Inter at the start of the season to link up again with former coach Luciano Spalletti, but revealed no move materialised because the Milan club never made a "concrete" offer.
Spalletti worked with Nainggolan at Roma until the Italian opted to leave the club at the end of last season.
Following Spalletti's departure and subsequent arrival at Inter, Nainggolan was strongly linked with joining him at San Siro, with the pair said to have worked well together.
Nainggolan enjoyed arguably his best season at Roma under Spalletti last term, scoring 11 goals and starting 35 times in Serie A.
239 - Radja Nainggolan made the most recoveries (239) among players with 10+ goals over the top-5 European leagues last season. Universal. July 28, 2017
But the Belgium international is adamant there was never a genuine offer put forward by Inter.
"There was interest from Inter because the coach rates me and vice-versa," Nainggolan told Tempo. "Even though 1,000 stories were written about it, let's forget it.
"I have always had a good relationship with Spalletti. He gave me the best conditions to express myself, but in the end there was no chance that I would leave Roma.
"It isn't that I didn't want to go there. There was interest, but there was nothing concrete.
"There was no offer, yet it was said 'Spalletti is bringing Nainggolan, [Kevin] Strootman with him'. It was mostly paper talk."
Nainggolan has also been linked with moves to the Chinese Super League on occasion and, while there has not been anything "serious" on that front, he is not going to pretend the financial benefits presented by such a switch do not interest him.
"There was a little something, but nothing serious," he added. "I would be a liar if I said the money didn't interest me. I am [nearly] 30.
"But, in truth, in the past I have turned down important offers. A couple of years ago I could have gone to Chelsea and earned more, but for me it is not all about the money.
"Let me explain; it is one thing to say: 'I'm going to have a good time in China and get the money.' There are people, those who have to wash their clothes with their hands, who are willing to do anything just to go and get all that money.
"Another question is if I have to stay on the same level, changing city and lifestyle so often. I do not have this thought yet. I'm fine here and that's it."
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