Sunday, November 11, 2012
QPR goalkeeper Julio Cesar says he rejected a move to Arsenal in the summer before choosing to join the R’s at the last minute as they gave him the possibility of working as a director in the future.
Although widely expected to join another top club, the Brazil stopper eventually sealed a shock move to Loftus Road after his release from Inter Milan in the summer.
He has now claimed that he snubbed Arsenal for QPR as he was thinking about life after hanging up his gloves.
He told the Sunday People: “I accepted this proposal because I wanted to live in London.
“I have an amazing way of life here and I’m giving my family a great opportunity to grow up culturally.
“I talked with Arsenal in the last transfer window, and they were really happy about me playing for them, but at the last minute I moved to QPR.
“QPR has a project, and I dream about that project coming true. But I came here because I was thinking about my future once I quit football, that’s true.”
“The fact that I can speak Portuguese, Italian and now English will give me opportunities in the future to be a director once I quit football. Even at QPR I could work as a director.”
