Bayern Munich defender Mehdi Benatia has admitted that Barcelona wanted to sign him from Roma during the summer.
The Blaugrana were on the hunt for a new centre-back following Carles Puyol’s retirement and Moroccan international Benatia was high on the list of their priorities.
However, Benatia ended up signed for the Bundesliga giants in a deal worth a reported €26m but, as the player told Kicker, Barca were not the only top European club interested in acquiring his services.
“Barcelona asked for me this summer, yet Chelsea and Manchester City also wanted me as well as Real Madrid.
“I had bought a house in the Italian capital and to be honest I had no intention of leaving, but [Roma] director of football Walter Sabatini came to see me.
“He told me that they didn’t want to sell me but they needed the money and had received an offer from Bayern Munich.
