Real Madrid coveted him as a youngster.
Ajax developed him.
Galatasaray tried to sign him this summer.
But, for the here and now, Rodney Sneijder is sure that Tannadice is the perfect place to play football.
The 24-year-old admitted that his career hasn’t panned out as he would have chosen. But time is still on his side.
Sneijder certainly isn’t giving up on the idea of playing in La Liga or the English Premier League but he’s got his focus firmly on the present, and becoming a success with Dundee United.
“In Holland, I was a very big talent at Ajax,” he recalled. “I played about 80 games for them 50 at the highest level.
“I had a few good seasons in Dutch football. But the last few seasons, I wasn’t really able to gain momentum because of few small injuries.
“I’m hoping I can rebuild that momentum here and take the next step in my career.
“Obviously, I wanted to eventually to make that bigger step in my career, move on to a bigger league.
“But it didn’t really turn out the way I wished because of circumstance.
“I hope I can still make that big step by showing what I can do in the Scottish league. I hope the chance will still come, that I can eventually make that move by doing well here.
“But now I’m happy here.”
Big brother Wesley has had a big influence on Rodney’s career decisions, from the time he turned down Real Madrid to more recently when the pair discussed where he should lay his hat this season.
But Sneijder junior is striking out on his own.
“Galatasaray wanted me to go there, but it would have been difficult for me,” he pointed out.
“I turned that move down because I want my own career. If I got to Galatasary I am with my brother but I want to make my own career.
“That is why I made this choice, to step out from his shadow.
“It hasn’t been difficult for me having him as a brother. Not for me. For people around me, it can be difficult.
“But he is my brother, I wouldn’t change that.
“Wesley did ask me to go to Galatasary and be with him, yes. But we spoke and now he’s very happy with this step in my career. He is happy that I’m at Dundee United now, because I am happy.
“He liked the idea of us playing together. For me, not now. Maybe later.
“It wasn’t hard to say no to him, we talked a lot on holiday, we talked about this step and he understands my thinking.
“When I told him I was coming to Scotland, he said it would be good for me to go to another country, see a different style of football.
“Of course, he knew that Dundee United was a good club and that this was a good competition. Wesley is going to come and watch me, when it’s possible, for sure.”
The fact that the brothers Sneijder play in the same part of the pitch gives plenty of ammunition for a comparison between the two.
“For me it’s not difficult,” Rodney said. “It’s just my name.
“I think fans have to be realistic. I’m not Wesley, I’m Rodney. I will do my thing and show the fans who I am.
“Yeah, of course fans have compared us in the past. That’s life.
“I am similar to Wesley in that we are both midfielders. How are we different? I have more hair!
“I can play on the left but also on the right. I think I’m a technical player and I like to create enjoyment for the fans.”
On the Real Madrid interest a few years ago, Sneijder explained: “Yeah, I had that chance when I was 16. My brother advised me not to take that chance.
“Because, you know, if you are 16-years-old and go to Real Madrid, you probably never get a chance. I have no regrets about it, no. That’s life. You make choices in life.”
There have been two familiar faces to welcome Sneijder to Dundee – Mario Bilate and Darko Bodul.
He said: “I played against Mario when he was playing for Sparta and I had a good partnership with Darko at Ajax. We always played together, so it’s good to be on the same pitch with him again.
“I know that Scottish football is more physical than the Dutch game. In Holland we like to play good football. Here it’s good but a bit different.
“I need to adapt a bit and adjust to the fact that it’s not just technical, not just a passing game.”