Robert Lewandowski was desperate to join Real Madrid instead of Bayern Munich so he could play alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, according to his former adviser Cezary Kucharski.
The striker joined Bayern on a free transfer from fellow Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2014 and has been a key player ever since making the move.
But his and Bayern's fortunes could have been very different if Lewandowski had decided to go against the deal he had agreed and move to the Santiago Bernabeu instead.
'At one point in the negotiations, he no longer wanted to sign a contract with Bayern, and wanted Real Madrid instead because Ronaldo played there,' Kucharski told Polish YouTube channel Futbolownia.
'I convinced him that he had to be the number one striker at a big club.
'At Real Madrid, he would have prevailed over Karim Benzema at some point, but I couldn't allow him to move to a club as a number two given the status he already had at that time.
'I emphasised this in all discussions, whether it was with Real Madrid, Arsenal or Manchester City.'
There were also doubts in Lewandowski's mind over whether he would fit under Pep Guardiola and if he would beat Mario Mandzukic to a starting berth.
Asked about taking Mandzukic's No 9 shirt, Kucharski said: 'It's funny today, but Lewy really had doubts at the time.
'That was crucial for me and showed me that Bayern was the safest move for him after his time at Borussia Dortmund.'
Lewandowski, now 31, has helped Bayern to the cusp of an eighth straight Bundesliga title.