Chelsea striker Mateja Kezman has turned down the chance to join Benfica.
The 26-year-old Serbia & Montenegro star struggled to establish himself at Stamford Bridge last season after joining from PSV Eindhoven for £5m.
He was offered a fresh start by the Portuguese giants, who have a new coach in former Holland star Ronald Koeman.
But Kezman said: "I have respect for Koeman and Benfica, but they and the Portuguese league are not options for me. One day in the future but not now."
The former Partizan Belgrade star arrived in England last summer with the reputation of a lethal goalscorer.
His statistics at PSV backed that up - he netted a remarkable 105 goals in 123 Dutch league games.
But with Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho preferring one central striker, Kezman found it difficult to dislodge Didier Drogba.
He managed only seven goals in 41 appearances, most of which were as a substitute, and spoke out at the end of last season.
"I didn't come to London to walk the streets and spend money," he said. "I'm the victim of tactics - I didn't get a real chance."
MMIX
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