Antoine Kombouare has revealed that a number of Premier League clubs approached him following his dismissal by Paris Saint-Germain in December 2011.
The 49-year-old claims that he even went to London to hold discussions with the teams interested in him, but eventually decided to take up the offer placed by Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia.
"After being sacked by PSG, I took a breather for six months and travelled the world with my wife," he told L'Equipe. "On my return, I wanted to manage in the Premier League rather than return to France.
"I had contact with some clubs, but nothing ever came of it because I was always second or third on their lists. I went to London for discussions, but they never led anywhere. As I didn't want to join a small club or move to a minor European league, I opted for Saudi Arabia.
"It was an interesting move from a sporting point of view, and financially they offered me a contract I just couldn't refuse."
Carlo Ancelotti replaced Kombouare at PSG.
Subhankar Mondal
