Fenerbahce forward Moussa Sow has claimed that Liverpool and Arsenal attempted to sign him before he opted to move to Turkey.

The 26-year-old Senegal international impressed for French side Lille in Ligue 1 between 2010 and 2012, scoring 31 goals in just 54 league games to alert some of Europe’s top teams.

However, despite the interest from the English sides, Sow joined Sar? Kanaryalar in January 2012 and insists he is “really happy” in the “great city” of Istanbul.

“Both Arsenal and Liverpool had tried to sign me before i ended up in Fenerbahce but I don’t have any regrets having done so,” he told reporters.

“I wanted to play at a team which have a fantastic atmosphere and in a great city like Istanbul. My religious view was also effective in my decision to join Fenerbahce. I’m really happy here.”

The two English sides were on the lookout for strikers, with Arsene Wenger eventually losing Robin van Persie to Manchester United in the summer while Brendan Rodgers’ side are still light on forward options.

Sow was criticised by Turkish newspaper Haberturk in October, claiming the player was injury-prone all along and the club doctors knew about that situation.

The newspaper even alleged that club doctor Ertugrul Karanlik had warned coach Aykut Kocaman about Sow’s situation, but was threatened to keep his report private.

Fenerbahce condemned the newspaper and declared the claims as false, and Sow has shrugged off the accusations: “The rumours which suggested that I had an injury all along haven’t touched my nerves, at all. I just laughed at them. Some people try to demoralise me, I suppose.”

“Some even mentioned my fasting as a bad thing. I’m a believer and God gave me strength through all this.”