Al-Nassr defender Aymeric Laporte admits he had contact with former club Athletic Bilbao this summer.
Laporte chose to join Al-Nassr ahead of Athletic when leaving Manchester City last month.
He told El Desmarque: "I had opportunities outside of Al Nassr. From Athletic? I was in contact with Athletic, well I really have been in contact since I left. We were talking throughout the years that I left, in fact we stayed, I came, I went. There was no no problem with that.
"I knew and I know that they have always been there, that I always have that desire to return the love and everything they have given me since I was very little.
"I have always said it: I will always be grateful for everything they have done, but I thought that the time was not right and I preferred to take another route."