Barcelona player Marc Andre Ter-Stegen has highlighted Pep Guardiola outstanding efforts to sign him for Manchester City.
SportBILD has an interview with the goalie for the “Phrasenmäher” football podcast, in which he discusses how Guardiola almost brought him to the Etihad.
Ter Stegen has been with Barcelona for over 11 years, having joined in a €12 million trade from Borussia Monchengladbach in 2014.
He is the club’s unquestioned number one, having won the distinction over the years with a record of 175 clean sheets and 412 goals conceded in 420 appearances.
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However, it was not all easy for him at the Camp Nou, as he initially struggled to get into the club first.
That caused him to ponder leaving at one point, and Guardiola was eager to bring him to Manchester City before his debut at the Etihad in 2016.
He had made a new goalkeeper a priority for that summer, and Ter Stegen was the player he sought, but Barcelona refused to negotiate a deal, instead selling Bravo to Manchester City later in the summer.
Ter Stegen has now explained what happened and the lengths Guardiola went to get the deal for Manchester City.
“It was actually the case that we considered changing clubs,” he told me.
“I was dissatisfied with my status at Barça since, despite the fact that we had won many titles, I had not played in the league, and 25 or 28 games per season in cup tournaments were no longer enough for me. I wanted to be the clear number one.
“At some point I went to Luis Enrique and told him And wanted his permission. And he replied: ‘I won’t release you under any circumstances!’
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