Chelsea new-boy Raul Meireles insists he never wanted to leave Liverpool but says the chance to work with Andre Villas-Boas was too good to turn down.
The Portugal midfielder swapped Anfield for Stamford Bridge in a £12m deadline-day move, reuniting him with former Porto boss Villas-Boas.
"I knew that I didn't want to leave Liverpool," he told chelseafc.co.uk.
"[But] when I knew that Chelsea and Andre wanted me, it convinced me. It is only because he wanted me."
Meireles, 28, only arrived at Liverpool in the summer of 2010 in a £11.5m deal.
But, after 35 appearances and five goals, he decided to join up again with the new Chelsea coach, with whom he worked briefly during his time at FC Porto.
The move was a surprise when it went through on the last day of the transfer window, following the Blues' summer-long pursuit of Tottenham midfielder Luka Modric.
Meireles said: "It was strange because I knew of the interest of Chelsea - and the interest of the coach. It was a pleasure to come to this club but it was strange because it was on the last day.
"People think I wanted to leave and it is only because Chelsea wanted me. For Andre to want me, that is why I wanted to go."
Meireles has vowed to make his mark at Stamford Bridge, just as he did at Liverpool after a slow start to his Reds career last season.
He said: "I like to play in midfield but for me it is more important that I play and I help the team. If the coach wants to put me in another place, I want to do my job and do my job well."
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