"It was a very difficult time" - LaLiga star confirms he rejected move to Barcelona in the summer
RCD Mallorca midfielder Sergi Darder has revealed that he turned down the chance to join Barcelona in the summer.
Sergio Busquets left the Catalan club in the summer transfer window, completing a free transfer to MLS club Inter Miami. As a result, La Blaugrana were actively scouting the market for cost-effective players who could fill the void in the middle of the park, with Darder on the club's radar.
The 29-year-old was Espanyol's captain last season. While the side got relegated last season, he didn't join Catalan rivals Barca due to his history with the club. Darder confirmed that he indeed had the chance to join La Blaugrana but turned it down due to his legacy at Espanyol.
The Spaniard told Onda Cero:
“I had the chance to sign for Barcelona in the summer. It was a very difficult time. It’s hard to say no to a team like that but when I thought about it coldly my head wouldn’t let me do that. There wasn’t even 1% on my part to go.”
Barca and Espanyol have played out some heated Catalan derbies in the recent past, which is why Darder's decision to not join Barca is understandable. He ended up joining Mallorca for €8 million.
Barca, meanwhile, swooped in Ilkay Gundogan from Manchester City on a free transfer. They also signed Oriol Romeu from fellow Catalan club Girona for €8 million.
Las Palmas president raves about Barcelona loanee Julian Araujo
Julian Araujo completed a loan transfer to Las Palmas in the summer and the right-back has become an important player for the team, making 15 appearances across competitions. Araujo has also scored two goals.
Las Palmas president Miguel Angel Ramirez is impressed with the way Araujo has adapted as he told Culemania:
“Julian Araujo? Our sports administration bet a lot on him because they were convinced that he would perform as he did. He has adapted perfectly and produced performances very important to us. We are not afraid that his good performance will facilitate his return to Barcelona.”
Julian Araujo joined Barcelona in February 2023. Due to the late registration of his contract, Araujo didn't play a game for Xavi's side but trained with the team. He is gaining some much-needed game time at Las Palmas and has already expressed interest in returning to Barca at the end of his loan spell.