The midfielder left Real Betis for Al-Arabi last year, though reveals he was all set to join Como before the Serie A club had a change of heart.
He recalled to Post United: "Cesc called me, but the deal fell through because of commissions and such. When my move fell through, that's when they went after Nico Paz. He was set to go to Leganés.
“After that, I was very close to going to Mallorca . They were offering me a lot of money, but the coach (Manuel Pellegrini) said no.
“I knew I had the talent to go to Atlético, for example, but I needed consistent playing time."
The 25 year-old says a performance for Betis at Real Madrid convinced Al-Arabi's scouts.
He continued: “They were torn between me and Ziyech, and after seeing my performance, they decided on me.”