Romelu Lukaku has claimed that an English club were actively pursuing his signature last summer but Everton put paid to the prospective deal.
Lukaku was linked with a host of clubs but Ronald Koeman revealed that had been told by the striker that he wanted to stay with the Blues this season.
But the Belgium international has revealed that he came close to leaving Goodison Park, only for the club’s new hierarchy to urge him to remain.
“I’m not going to lie, there was a specific club in England who was really keen to buy me,” he told Sport/Voetbalmagazine.
“But Everton’s new staff made me understand they didn’t want me to leave.
“What can you do when that happens?”
Lukaku has three years remaining on his current Goodison Park deal but has not discounted joinng clubs away from the Premier League in the near future.
He added: “I would not say no to Serie A, La Liga, Ligue 1 or the Bundesliga, but before such a move several conditions need to be met.
“First I need a coach to work with who believes in me as there is no point in signing for someone and then realise on the spot that the system is not designed for me.”