Witsel, "Juventus tried everything to get me; I do not deny that the economic aspect of the deal was an important factor"

The eventual transfer of Witsel to Juventus seemed to be only a formality. However, Tianjin's offer tempted the player, and he eventually ended up denying Juventus in favor of the Chinese club. Witsel recently spoke to Torre del Grifo of Sky Sport about his transfer: "It was my decision. I have great respect for Juventus as they tried everything to get me. I had contacts with them going back a year, but I eventually chose to go to Tianjin. It was not an easy decision. Nonetheless, I respect Juventus and wish them the best. I do not lie; the economic aspect of the deal was an important factor in my decision to go to China. However, I certainly am not here to take money and go on vacation. This club is ambitious; we want to do well in the league, and possibly obtain qualification in the Asian Champions League. I am here to contribute to the process of growing as a team along with important teammates like Pato and other champions. Cannavaro? He was one of the best defenders in the world: with him we do a lot of tactical work, and training is very intense. We are lucky to have him as a coach."