Dani Alves has taken to social media to dispute claims made by Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu that the right-back wanted to return to the club in January, having left for Juventus due to ‘personal problems’.
Alves ended an eight-year spell with Barcelona last summer to complete a free-transfer to Juventus and while the Brazilian is widely recognised for his success with the Catalans his departure caused somewhat of a stir.
The 34-year-old is now a free agent, having also left Juventus, and is being heavily linked with a move to either Manchester City or PSG but Bartomeu has insisted Alves also wanted to go back to Barcelona, and spoke to the club about a return in January.
Speaking to Catalan newspaper Mundo Deportivo, according to Extra, the Barcelona president said: “In January we received a message from him. We met and talked. But he will not return.”
Bartomeu added that Alves only left Barcelona in the first place due to ‘personal reasons’, but refused to elaborate on the issue.
He also said: “Dani is a nice guy and we all like him and he has no problem with the club. He and I know very well what his problem is, which is very personal and unrelated to the sport.
“We understand. It’ something that his agent, he and I know. Let him say whatever he wants. I insist that it is a personal matter.
“Did he get upset? Did not he want Luis Enrique? Did he did not want the president? It does not matter. He signed for another three years, fulfilled only one and decided to leave the following year. It was because of personal reasons.”
However Alves appears to have questioned the validity of Bartomeu’s claims through his Twitter account, simply sending the word “mentira” – which translates as “lie”.
Barcelona have struggled at right-back since Alves left the club with midfielder Sergi Roberto mainly taking charge of the defensive responsibility.
Alves has been engaged in a war of words with Barcelona since departing and, during an interview in February, the defender accused the club of disrespecting him and his ability.
He admitted to using the situation to his own benefit having become frustrated at the Nou Camp.
Alves told ABC: “During my last three seasons [at Barça] they always used to say Alves is leaving, but the directors never said anything to me. They were extremely false and ungrateful. They did not respect me.
“I was only offered a new deal when the FIFA transfer ban came in. That was when I played them at their own game and signed a deal with a termination clause.
“Those who run Barcelona today have no idea how to treat their players.”
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