Pascal Groß has admitted Brighton and Hove Albion and manager Fabian Hürzeler tried everything to keep him at the club this summer.
The midfielder has been speaking to Kicker in a wide-ranging interview following his move from Brighton to Borussia Dortmund.
The 33-year-old joined the Champions League finalists in a €7m deal at the beginning of August, bringing an end to a seven year stay at Brighton during which he had established himself as a firm fan favourite.
He made 261 appearances for the club, scoring 32 goals and registering 52 assists, shining under various managers and proving to be well worth the €3m spent to sign him from FC Ingolstadt.
It means the club and fans were sorry to see him leave this summer, having hoped he would continue to be a key player for them under new manager Hürzeler.
Unfortunately his decision had already been made and a move to Dortmund was too difficult to turn down.
“I always said that I was open to returning to Germany if everything fell into place – even though I knew what I had at Brighton,” he said.
“I had a great time and a lot of fun there. But when the offer came from Dortmund, it was clear to me that I definitely wanted to do it.
“I can play in the Champions League for a giant club and compete at the highest level in Germany. This appeal was great because my feeling since I left Ingolstadt was always that my story in the Bundesliga was still unfinished.
“We spoke openly. I also told him that it had nothing to do with him. The club also tried everything again. But it was all about timing. Because of my age, I had to do this now, even though there was a lot to be said for staying. I really wanted to take this step to Dortmund.”
