Cesc Fabregas has revealed that he signed for Chelsea rather than Arsenal as the Gunners were unable to fit him in alongside Mesut Ozil.
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Fabregas, 27, left Barcelona to join the Blues earlier this week in a transfer worth a reported 33 million euros plus extras, signing a five-year deal.
There was a clause in the Spain international's Barca contract that entitled former club Arsenal to a first refusal on a player who spent eight years in North London.
However, Fabregas says Gunners boss Arsene Wenger turned down the opportunity to sign him as the club already had enough cover in his position.
"When I decided that my time at Barcelona had ended, I looked for the best option for me," Fabregas, currently on World Cup duty with Spain, told a news conference in quotes picked up by the Guardian.
"Arsenal was the first option, for contractual reasons. There was a clause that gave them the right to decide.
"We spoke to Wenger and he said that the space was very well filled by Mesut Ozil and it was hard to find a place for both of us in the team."
It was only after it became clear Fabregas would be unable to return to Arsenal that Blues boss Jose Mourinho convinced him to move to Stamford Bridge.
Now a Chelsea player, the midfielder is looking forward to embarking on a new chapter in his career and is hopeful that much success will follow.
"I wanted to go back to the Premier League and I had to think about what my options were then," he said. "I had many very good offers, the logical options.
"I spoke to Jose Mourinho and he told me that he wanted me there. He convinced me very, very quickly. He told me what I wanted to hear; he won me over and convinced me.
"It was very quick. I am very happy, very satisfied and I think it will all go phenomenally well."