Algerian star Nabil Bentaleb, midfielder for French club Lille, revealed that the England national team attempted to recruit him before he chose to play for Algeria in 2014.

Bentaleb disclosed in a press statement that there were English attempts to include him in the England national team while he was playing for Tottenham Hotspur.

The player stated: "My choice to play for Algeria was a decision I didn't think twice about. When the Algerian Football Federation contacted me, I was at Tottenham, despite what my coach and club chairman Daniel Levy did when they asked me to hold off on my decision because England's coach Roy Hodgson was monitoring me and wanted to include me for Euro 2016."

It is worth noting that Bentaleb, who has recently returned to the pitch after a long absence due to a health issue, has participated in 52 international matches with the Algerian national team so far.