Pedro Porro was contacted by some of the biggest clubs in Europe before committing his future to Tottenham Hotspur.
On Sunday, Spurs confirmed that Porro had signed a long-term deal, thus putting an end to the speculation linking the right-back with a move away from North London this summer.
According to reports, Tottenham have made the Spaniard one of the highest-paid players in their squad, which is a clear demonstration of how highly he is valued at N17.
A new report has now shed light on why the Lilywhites decided to throw their chequebook at the 26-year-old.
Pedro Porro rejected Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid to stay at Tottenham
Journalist Ben Jacobs has now revealed on The Last Word on Spurs that there was no shortage of interest in the Tottenham right-back.
Jacobs claims that both Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich held talks with Porro’s camp regarding a summer move to Spain or Germany, respectively.
However, the journalist adds that the former Sporting Lisbon man made it clear to the two clubs that his priority was to remain at Spurs if they avoid relegation from the Premier League.
When asked if Spurs fans should have always been confident about Pedro Porro committing to his future in N17, Jacobs said: “Confident having secured Premier League status is probably the answer to that question.
“Although these contract talks were ongoing towards the end of the season then paused. They were picked up, I believe, in the March international break and then obviously everyone was focused on Tottenham staying up, and finally was able to get done very quickly as a contract until 2031 and then an option of an additional year.
“Yes, there were links with Real Madrid, but I never really bought that there was that much substance a little bit more to the Manchester City interest, but they never made any kind of bid.
“Atletico Madrid and Bayern had also held some formative talks with the player camp, but Porro had always indicated to everybody that if Tottenham stayed up, he wanted to stay at the football club, and this is why they were able to finalise that one relatively fast.”
Roberto De Zerbi and Johan Lange are delighted at Porro’s new contract
Tottenham sporting director, Johan Lange, has described Porro as ‘one of the best full-backs in the game’ and admitted that tying him down to a new deal was an important priority for the club this summer.
Meanwhile, Roberto De Zerbi has confessed that he loves Porro’s character, and that he is excited to continue working with the Spaniard.
The Tottenham head coach also spoke glowingly of what the 26-year-old offers both defensively and offensively to his side.
He said: “Pedro is a very important player for us, who has consistently shown his ability to influence matches in both defensive and attacking situations.
“As well as his technical quality, I also love his mentality. Every day he wants to work, to learn and to improve, and these are the characteristics that help players reach the highest level.
“He understands football in a very intelligent way, and brings energy, intensity and personality to the team. This new contract is good news for everyone at the Club. We believe in Pedro, and I am excited to continue working with him and helping him achieve even more in the coming years.”