Leeds United manager Simon Grayson has revealed that three Championships clubs submitted offers to sign Max Gradel before the transfer window closed on Wednesday night.
French club St Etienne eventually won the race to sign the Ivorian winger for an undisclosed fee, but Grayson has confirmed that the 23-year-old could have remained in England.
"We did make a stance not to sell him but when he comes pouring his heart out to me that he needs to go back to France for family reasons as well, you have to accept that sometimes," Grayson told the club's official website.
"I could have sold him to three Championship clubs on Wednesday and the day before but we made a stance that we weren't going to sell him to any of our rivals.
"One or two Premier League clubs inquired but didn't follow it through. In the end him going abroad back to his family and the country where he was brought up is an ideal situation."
Gradel joined Leeds on a permanent deal from Leicester City in 2010.
