Andre Gomes rejected the chance to join Italian champions Juventus this summer in favour of moving to Barcelona from Valencia, it has emerged.
The Portuguese midfielder moved to Camp Nou in a transfer worth €35m which could rise to €55m with add-ons, but Valencia sporting director Jesus Garcia Pitarch has revealed they had been deep in negotiations with Juve before his move to Catalonia, which in turn scuppered Los Che's plans for signing the Italian's Simone Zaza.
"Zaza is a player that this summer we tried to sign but could not do it because his arrival depended on Andre going to Juventus,” Pitarch is quoted in saying in Plaza Deportiva.
“Andre wanted to go to Barcelona and there ended the three chances of negotiations with Juve, which were Lemina, Hernanes and Zaza."
The 23-year-old has played 17 matches for the Catalans but is yet to find the back of the net.
