Former Paris Saint-Germain winger Ezequiel Lavezzi has said he could have joined Chelsea, Inter Milan or Manchester United instead of moving to China.
Lavezzi, 30, ended a three-and-a-half year stay in the French capital when he joined Hebei China Fortune late last month.
The Argentina international would have been out of contract at PSG in the summer and he has now said that he turned down several major European teams to pen a lucrative deal with the Chinese Super League club.
"I could have signed for Inter, Chelsea or Manchester United but I took the decision to leave for China," he was quoted as saying by sports.fr on his presentation to local media.
"It's an important decision for my career. I'm sure that I'm going to meet many challenges."
Lavezzi, who was given a special send-off by his former PSG teammates, said it was not just the financial package on offer which had led to him moving east.
"The development plan of the club interests me," he said. "It's one of the reasons that pushed me to join the club, along with the financial interest.
"I'm fascinated by Chinese culture. To play in this country is an interesting challenge -- it's why I came."
Lavezzi has earned 48 caps for Argentina but the former Napoli player has conceded that his latest transfer could spell the end for his international career.
"Yes, it's probable that it's finished," he acknowledged. "But I already took my decision and from now on I want to give everything for my club."
This year Hebei China Fortune have also signed former Arsenal and Roma striker Gervinho, Cameroon midfielder Stephane Mbia and ex-Chelsea and Sevilla winger Gael Kakuta.