Stiliyan Petrov said he would have played for Aston Villa for free if they had offered him a chance to return to professional football.
The former Villa captain, 37, was training with their first-team in the summer as he tried to resurrect his career following a battle with leukemia.
Petrov said Villa boss Roberto di Matteo let him know he was making good progress before then calling him into his office days later to be told there would be no contract.
The 37-year-old was offered a job as a youth-team coach but turned it down, and said then-Villa goalkeeper Brad Guzan ‘literally went ballistic’ after finding out.