Former Genk chief Dirk Degraen has revealed how Chelsea almost signed Kevin de Bruyne and Thibaut Courtois for a joint €3.5m.
The pair were signed by Chelsea in 2011.
"We raised the bar on transfer sums at that time. When I arrived, a million euros was a lot of money," said Degraen to Het Laatste Nieuws.
"Chelsea's first bid for De Bruyne and Courtois was €3.5m. For both of them."
He also revealed: "Aston Villa would provide six million for Benteke. Don't hesitate, management said. Negotiations continued day and night, leaving 10 million. I miss the excitement of negotiations."
De Bruyne and Courtois would eventually move to Chelsea for a combined £14m.
Need a VPN? Or seeking to switch? Then support Tribal Football by clicking here to sign up with our official partners NordVPN. Not only will you receive the best VPN experience, but also great discounts by signing up via Tribal Football. Thanks for your support!