Atletico Madrid superstar Koke has revealed that he was subjected to interest from Barcelona in this transfer window, but he chose to remain at his boyhood club. Koke has emerged as one of the top players in Spanish football in the last few seasons. He helped the team win the Spanish league title last season, while the club also reached the final of the Champions League. The 22-year-old was a major part of this team and it is not surprising to see transfer rumours linking him with a move to the Camp Nou.

The offer, though, did not materialise into a serious will simply because Atletico and the player were not ready to move. Koke has revealed the first time that Barcelona were not entertained in their pursuit by Atletico, while he also did not want to move at this stage in his career. Koke is a player celebrated by the Atletico supporters, as they see him as one of their own. Moving to Barcelona would have been a major step in his career since the Catalan club will be continuously challenging for trophies at the top level.

Even though Atletico won the league title last season, they are not expected to sustain the success for long. The 22-year-old was also linked with a move to the Premier League with Chelsea and Manchester United interested in him.

“The truth is that part of me said it was difficult to say no to Barca but I wanted to continue at home for many years at Atletico. It wasn’t time to leave. This is my home, where I feel wanted and the club didn’t need to sell. How was I going to leave at the best time for Atletico? It’s not easy to say no to Barca and their interest was appreciated. It means the work I’ve done has paid off. But I’m at home here,” said Koke.