Former Italy midfielder Gaetano D’Agostino signed with Fidelis Andria on Wednesday and spoke of interest in him from Real Madrid earlier in his career.
The 32-year old signed a one-year contract with the Serie D side as a free agent.
“I never said it but I was really just a step away from Real Madrid,” D’Agostino told Panorama.it.
“I even reached an agreement with them for five years and €2 million per year.”
“I just had to go to Spain to sign, but Udinese did not close the deal; they wanted a couple of promises on Real Madrid’s part. In the end, it all fell through and Xabi Alonso from Liverpool took my spot.”
In that same summer of 2009 D’Agostino was also close to Juventus.
“Juventus and contacted me as early as March and I really wanted to go,” the former Roma and Siena man said.
“I remember that we had already reached an agreement in figures of €1.75m per season.
“Udinese wanted half of Claudio Marchisio, Sebastian Giovinco and Paolo De Ceglie.
“Juventus offered a maximum of €18-2om, but they [Udinese] requested €25m and blew everything,” D’Agostino recalled.
“For the first time I felt like a product.
“We footballers are allied to the club; feelings and desires do not matter.”
