Middlesbrough coach Aitor Karanka has revealed he failed in his first attempt to lure Victor Valdes to the Riverside Stadium when the goalkeeper was a Manchester United player.
However, Karanka said he is thrilled that the former Barcelona No. 1 agreed to join newly promoted Boro in the summer.
Valdes, 34, signed a two-year contract in July after his deal with United expired and Karanka told AS: "I was insistent. When he was at United and things were going bad for him, I called him.
"I wanted him with me. I said to him: 'Let me explain [the reason for the call] before you send me to [hell].