Monaco midfielder Aleksandr Golovin feared moving to Chelsea or Juventus in 2018 would have been 'too hard' for him.
The 23-year-old lit up the World Cup in his home nation, Russia, and attracted interest from Europe's juggernauts.
Golovin instead chose to leave CSKA Moscow to join Ligue 1 side Monaco.
The Russia international told Match TV: 'Why didn't I move to Juventus or Chelsea?
'I thought it would be hard for me now in a team like Chelsea or Juventus.
'For me it's the grandees of football. Probably, if I were a football player from Europe, the transition would have been easier.
'And, since I am from Russia, in a big club the situation would be complicated by the lack of knowledge of the language.
'I did not consult anyone making this choice. Many told me the same Slutsky, Cherchesov, Goncharenko. Everyone had a different opinion.