Camp Nou has been home to some of the best players and managers in the footballing world, and the club is known for cultivating talent through the famed La Masia academy. While most players are keen on donning the colors of the historic club, some have found the opportunity not so appealing.
Today, we take a look at the five players who rejected moves to Barcelona.
#5 David Luiz
Prior to David Luiz’s bumper €50 million move to PSG in the 2014 summer transfer window, he was the subject of keen interest from Barcelona.
Currently without a club, Luiz showcased some of his best football at Stamford Bridge and was regarded as the ideal ball-playing defender. The former Arsenal centre-half attracted interest from several top European clubs but would eventually join the Parisians for a then-world record fee for a defender.
Barcelona instead went on to sign Thomas Vermaelen from Arsenal and Jeremy Mathieu from Valencia in the 2014 summer transfer window. The duo was signed for €39 million. The money, perhaps, would have been better spent on David Luiz.
#4 Koke
The Atletico Madrid captain has established himself as one of the finest midfielders in Spanish and European football over the past few years.
Koke played an indispensable role in Atletico Madrid’s historic 2013-14 La Liga campaign, helping the club lift their first league title in 18 years. Barcelona scouts reportedly earmarked Koke as the long-term successor to club legend Xavi.
However, the Spaniard rejected the move to Barcelona and instead opted to remain loyal to his boyhood club.
#3 Thiago Silva
While others may have rejected Barcelona once, Thiago Silva turned down a move to Camp Nou on two different occasions.
Over the past decade, Thiago Silva has built a reputation for being one of the most consistent centre-halfs in world football. The Brazilian was approached by Barcelona for the first time during his stint at AC Milan. Silva passed on the opportunity and opted for a move to Paris instead.
The Champions League winner was approached by Barcelona once again during his time at PSG.
#2 Gianluigi Buffon
The Italian shot-stopper is one of the best goalkeepers in footballing history and it is no surprise that Barcelona were extremely keen on his signature.
Gianluigi Buffon caught the attention of the Barcelona hierarchy after stellar performances at his boyhood club, Parma. By then, Buffon was already on the radar of a host of European powerhouses, making it even tougher for Barcelona to secure his signing.
Gianluigi Buffon returned to his boyhood club ahead of the 2021-22 footballing season and will be hoping to inspire his team to Serie A promotion.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo
Undoubtedly the most prominent player to have rejected Barcelona, Cristiano Ronaldo turned down a move to the Camp Nou in the 2009 summer transfer window.
In a double whammy for Barcelona, the Portuguese superstar moved to the Spanish capital in that same transfer window for a then-world record €94 million transfer. While Ronaldo was hell-bent on his dream move to Real Madrid, Sir Alex Ferguson offered the star forward to Barcelona in an attempt to keep his best players away from Madrid’s gasps. Previously, Los Blancos had signed Manchester United greats like David Beckham, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Gabriel Heinze.
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