Victor Wanyama has lifted the lid on his departure from Tottenham, while also explaining how "p*ssed off" he was to sit out last season's Champions League final against Liverpool.
Wanyama completed an £11 million ($14m) move to Spurs from Southampton in August 2016, committing to a five-year contract with the club.
The 28-year-old went on to amass 97 appearances across all competitions for Spurs, scoring seven goals, while helping the team establish themselves as a mainstay in the Premier League's top four.
However, Wanyama slipped way down the squad pecking order during Mauricio Pochettino's final two seasons at the club, and was forced to watch on from the bench during the biggest game in the club's history.
The midfielder was an unused substitute as Tottenham succumbed to a 2-0 defeat against Liverpool in the 2019 European showpiece, despite having played a key role in their thrilling semi-final victory over Ajax.
His fortunes did not improve when Jose Mourinho was drafted in to replace Pochettino in November, and he was eventually allowed to join Montreal Impact on a free transfer at the start of March after taking in just two top-flight appearances this season.
Wanyama dealt with a long-term knee problem last year which significantly restricted his contribution, and says the club "should have trusted" him to get back to his old level upon his return to full fitness instead of reducing his role within the squad.
“I was frustrated and when I came back from injury I didn’t get enough chances to play and enjoy my football,” he told The Athletic. "When I came back, the club should have trusted me and given me more chances to play again.
"I was fit and training well. I never argued with Pochettino but I wanted to speak to him. I went to his office but he was busy. I saw his assistant Jesus [Perez].
"He told me be to be patient, that my chance would come blah, blah, blah. I didn’t go to see them again. That’s why I left the club. I’m a football player and I wanted to play football.
"I love Spurs, but I love playing football more.”
Wanyama added on his frustration at being left out of Pochettino's line-up for the Champions League final: “I was really, really p*ssed off not to start that game.
"And even more p*ssed off because we didn’t win. I tried to encourage those who played.
“We went back to the hotel after the game. I couldn’t sleep at all. The situation was going around in my head.
"My brother Mariga was also on the bench in a Champions League final for Inter Milan against Bayern Munich [in 2010].
"He had to sit on the bench for the full game, so he could relate and understood what I was going through.”
Wanyama ultimately decided that MLS was the best place for him to continue his career, after being convinced of Montreal's project by their new coach Thierry Henry.
The ex-Spurs star said of the Arsenal legend's powers of persuasion: “He explained that he had a young team and he wanted someone with experience to help take the team to the next level.
"The club sold me their ambition and ideas. I liked it.”
