Marc Muniesa has conceded that he is sad to be leaving Barcelona this summer, but he has no bad words for the Catalans.
The club informed the Under-21 international at the end of the season that his contract would not be renewed and, after links with a few clubs in Spain, Premier League side Stoke City confirmed his signature earlier this week.
“It is sad to leave Barca, it has been my home and my life, but you have to understand that it is just a stage and now begins another in which I must try to grow,” Muniesa told reporters during a promotional trip in Andorra this week.
“It took a while [for Barca to communicate they would not renew the contract], but I am grateful to them.
“I have gotten the change to play at Barca B this season and they have behaved very well in the end.
“I am grateful for everything, they have allowed me to play for many years at the club, which is what I wanted from when I was a child.
“I’m excited [about Stoke City], I have wanted to know what I was going to play and now my family and I are calm, we know where we will be living for the next four years.”
The 21-year-old was asked his view on Thiago Alcantara’s reported consideration of a move to Manchester United.
“I do not know how Thiago is, but I know that he is a player with great quality and personality. We must be aware that he is among the best players in the world and it is difficult to get into this team.
“Whether he has patience or not is down to him. He can succeed wherever and hopefully he will stay. There is no better place to succeed than at Barca.”
