Diego Carlos has addressed Newcastle United's January transfer interest and confirms he struck an agreement to stay at Sevilla.
The centre-back's future was the subject of intense speculation during the mid-season window, with the Magpies making several approaches.
Sevilla rejected all bids for Carlos, despite the defender making it clear to the club that he would like to make the lucrative switch to Tyneside.
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However, the 28-year-old refused to rock the boat with the La Liga title-chasers and has continued to be selected by manager Julen Lopetegui.
Sevilla's director of football Monchi has since confirmed Carlos held 'mental comings and goings' over a 'very strong' offer from Newcastle.
The defender himself has now opened up on the Magpies' transfer approach in a wide-ranging interview with ABC Sevilla, insisting he did not allow the rumours to drive him 'crazy'.
He told the Spanish outlet via Sport Witness : “I was always very calm, I have a commitment, my contract here at Sevilla.
"Nothing ever happened in my head nor did I go crazy with the situation. With everything that was talked about, I was working and competing, I think I did well.
“I told the coach that he could safely count on me because my head was at Sevilla, it is a club that opened doors for me and to them, I will be grateful all my life.
"At Sevilla, I am growing every day, being a more mature and confident player.”
Carlos was reportedly set to be offered a significant wage increase to convince the centre-back to swap a La Liga title battle for a Premier League relegation scrap.
Pressed on whether it was difficult to be denied such a 'drastic increase' in his salary, Carlos answered: “I was very calm, I spoke directly with my agent and I didn’t want to hear anything that wasn’t true.
"For those things there were trustworthy people who do that job.
“If they reached an agreement and it turned out to be positive for me, fine, but since nothing concrete came to me that could make me leave Sevilla, at all times I was calm.
“I feel very good at the club, I’m very happy to be here. I will continue to do my best because football is like that, today you are there and tomorrow you are not, and now I am, so we will see what will happen.”
Carlos also addressed the 'project' currently under way at St James' Park following the takeover in October which has transformed Newcastle into one of the richest clubs in world football.
However, the former Nantes defender argues current club Sevilla have a 'very strong' global reputation and believes he owes the club he signed for in 2019.
Carlos said: “We know about the history of Newcastle, it is a team that is fighting not to drop out of the Premier League.
“They are building a project with the billionaire, who has bought them, who wants to make [them] a well-known club in a few years, but here we are very well classified and we play one of the best leagues in the world, against great teams.
“Sevilla have a very strong name around the world, the team is doing well… I talked to Monchi and told him to be calm, that if they want me here, I’m going to do my best because I owe the club a lot.
"We came to an agreement that I would stay.”
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