SOFIA, Bulgaria, September 3- Bulgarian striker Dimitar Berbatov said Monday he won’t regret Champions League football after he signed with Fulham last week leaving Manchester United behind and ignoring offers from top Italian clubs.
“It won’t kill me not to play in the Champions League anymore,” the 31-year-old told a press conference in Sofia.
“I want to play football, to enjoy the game.”
Berbatov scored 56 goals in 149 appearances for United after a £30 million move from Tottenham in 2008, and was joint top-scorer in the English Premier League in 2010-2011.
However, he fell out of favour with United manager Sir Alex Ferguson last season, and played only 12 games in the English Premier league.
Before signing with Fulham on Friday, he was in talks with Italian Serie A clubs Fiorentina and Juventus but he insisted Monday he never promised them anything.
“Various clubs asked me (to join them), but I didn’t say ‘yes’ to any team.
“I am not the first, nor the last football player to have refused at the last minute.”
His agent Emil Danchev said there had been interest from several Turkish and German clubs, and his former club Tottenham, as well.
Berbatov’s choice of Fulham in the end partly had to do with not wanting to leave the country, he said.
“I like England, I like its culture, I know the language, my family feels good here,” said the Bulgarian.
He also said he would not return to the national team, after coach Lyuboslav Penev called on him Friday to help the team in their World Cup qualifying matches against Italy and Armenia on September 7 and 11.
“I stand by my decision,” Berbatov said.
“I know they will succeed without me.”
Berbatov announced his international retirement in 2010, saying he wanted to “make way for young players.”
