O’Neil, who has already had a spell at Queens Park Rangers, left Bolton Wanderers after starring for them last season.
The former Queens Park Rangers midfielder Gary O’Neil has claimed that he almost rejoined the R’s after leaving Bolton Wanderers.
O’Neil, who spent a season at QPR earlier in the decade, has been without a club since the end of last term.
The 36-year-old is Bolton’s reigning player of the year and, in an interview with The Portsmouth News, he said he was heading back to Wanderers until the club changed manager (Phil Parkinson) – which left him on the lookout for alternative employment.
“After Bolton I thought I’d get a club which suited me and was close to getting a couple, which then fell through and it ended up dragging on longer than I expected,” explained O’Neil, whose progress is currently being hindered by an Achilles injury.
“I’ve got a good CV and am as fit as a fiddle, I could comfortably play in midfield for a League One team, no problem.
“I don’t want to hang my boots up just yet, I want to stay professional and train somewhere to show people I am still fit enough.”
He added: “I was at Aberdeen for a little bit and nearly signed for QPR early in the summer, which would have been a great one in the Championship and London. That looked like it was going to happen, then didn’t towards the end.
“I’ve turned other stuff down as well, it’s just the way things go.”
Parkinson has since taken charge of Bolton’s League One rivals, Sunderland.
But it remains to be seen whether or not the 51-year-old would consider a reunion with O’Neil at the Stadium of Light.
QPR added two new players in O’Neil’s position – Luke Amos and Matthew Smith – in the summer transfer window.
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