Manchester City midfielder Frank Lampard revealed it was not his decision to leave Chelsea at the end of last season.
The Englishman's contract expired in the summer with the club opting not to offer an extension to the 35-year-old.
But Lampard explained that he would have stayed had the club decide to offer a new contract.
"I would have obviously stayed if Chelsea had offered me another year," Lampard told The Sun.
"There was no reason for me to leave. Yes, I wanted to play a bit more regularly but I'm not stupid.
"If Chelsea had given me a new contract it would have been mad not to take it at the time.
"It wasn't that I didn't think I could still do it. If I felt like that I wouldn't have gone to City on loan.
"I had a chat with Jose Mourinho and both he and the club were always great with me. The decision was made – and I don't know who made it."
Chelsea fans were upset after the midfielder decided to sign for rivals Manchester City but the player believes he gave everything during the 13-year spell at the club.
"I knew things were coming to a head but I'm realistic and, in football, I move on quite quickly," Lampard said.
"I also felt like I didn't want to be a player who faded away – with that being the last memory people had of me.
"So maybe it was the right time. Maybe it was right that the club took it out of my hands.
"I certainly didn't want to go until I was 40 and just being rolled out for the Capital One Cup after the great times I had at the club.
"What I really want now is to make a really positive impact in my time at Manchester City and then again in the next stage of my career."
