Benfica midfielder Adel Taarabt has rejected an offer to join Championship side Reading, according to a claim on Thursday.
Portuguese newspaper Record says the player had this chance ‘on the table’, with manager José Gomes approving his arrival to the club.
Taarabt, however, ‘made it known it wasn’t his wish’, and should stay with the Eagles, where he has a contract until 2020.
Reading’s interest in the player was reported by the very same Record earlier this week.
They claimed the midfielder could leave the Eagles with a ‘friendly’ contract termination, so the Royals wouldn’t have to spend a penny to take him out of the Lisbon club.
Taarabt moved to Benfica on a free transfer from Queens Park Rangers in 2015.
However, he never had a chance to play for the club, and has spent his time with the B squad, besides a loan spell he had at Genoa.
He was recently linked with a QPR return as well.
