Fernandinho admits he came close to leaving Manchester City.

The veteran penned a new one-year deal this summer.

Fernandinho told FourFourTwo magazine: "I was quite close to leaving - and that's the truth. There was so much on the table to analyse, I was in deadlock.

"That made me leave the decision to when last season was finished.

"First, my priority was to have my mind 100 per cent on the team. Then I negotiated with only one team apart from Man City, which was Athletico Paranaense. They made a proper offer to me.

"My wife and I were like, 'If we go back to Brazil, we will have this; if we stay in England, we will have that'. When City offered me a new contract, we spent a few days at home weighing up both possibilities.

"One of the key factors that made us stay is that we are applying for British citizenship, but it is also a wonderful feeling to captain this club. I take so much pride in it."