Toni Rudiger has branded staying at Chelsea his “priority number one”, while also revealing Paris St Germain and Tottenham had tried to sign him last summer.
The Germany defender fell out of favour under Frank Lampard and was close to a loan exit earlier this season, only to fight his way back into a pivotal Stamford Bridge role.
The 28-year-old has thrived under new Blues boss Thomas Tuchel and revealed his desire to extend his contract, with his current deal running until 2022.
“I was a bit upset, because I knew my situation. But then I had the talk with the ex-coach, with Lampard, and all of a sudden I was back in the team, on the bench.
“Then I also had a couple of games and I just worked my way back.
“The last games of his reign I was on the pitch.
“And obviously now things are going well for me, I’m very happy about it.
“But to be honest I always felt well in the club. They treated me nice. No one at the club, neither on the board nor Frank Lampard, told me I should leave.
“The transfer didn’t happen, the loans didn’t happen. But also no one in the club told me I should leave.”
