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Barcelona are enduring one of their worst spells in recent memory, especially aggravated by Lionel Messi's departure after a 17-year spell at the club. Over the years, Barcelona has established itself as one of the biggest powerhouses in world football.
Camp Nou has been home to some of the best players and managers in the footballing world, and the club is known for cultivating talent through the famed La Masia academy. While most players are keen on donning the colors of the historic club, some have found the opportunity not so appealing.
Today, we take a look at the five players who rejected moves to Barcelona.
#5 David Luiz
Prior to David Luiz's bumper €50 million move to PSG in the 2014 summer transfer window, he was the subject of keen interest from Barcelona.
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Currently without a club, Luiz showcased some of his best football at Stamford Bridge and was regarded as the ideal ball-playing defender. The former Arsenal centre-half attracted interest from several top European clubs but would eventually join the Parisians for a then-world record fee for a defender.
In an interview with AS during his time in France, David Luiz stated, "It's true they (Barca) tried to tempt me a couple of times and everything looked good. But eventually, I realized the team that really wanted me was PSG."
Barcelona instead went on to sign Thomas Vermaelen from Arsenal and Jeremy Mathieu from Valencia in the 2014 summer transfer window. The duo was signed for €39 million. The money, perhaps, would have been better spent on David Luiz.
#4 Koke
The Atletico Madrid captain has established himself as one of the finest midfielders in Spanish and European football over the past few years.
Koke played an indispensable role in Atletico Madrid's historic 2013-14 La Liga campaign, helping the club lift their first league title in 18 years. Barcelona scouts reportedly earmarked Koke as the long-term successor to club legend Xavi.
However, the Spaniard rejected the move to Barcelona and instead opted to remain loyal to his boyhood club.
In a 2014 interview with AS, Koke revealed: "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 want to sell."
The now-29-year old added, "How was I going to leave at the best time for Atletico? It is 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."
#3 Thiago Silva
While others may have rejected Barcelona once, Thiago Silva turned down a move to Camp Nou on two different occasions.
Over the past decade, Thiago Silva has built a reputation for being one of the most consistent centre-halfs in world football. The Brazilian was approached by Barcelona for the first time during his stint at AC Milan. Silva passed on the opportunity and opted for a move to Paris instead.
The Champions League winner was approached by Barcelona once again during his time at PSG.
In a later interview, Silva revealed: "It was a difficult decision to say no twice to Barcelona. It was never a secret that I have admired them since I was a kid and that I always wished I could play for Barcelona. But life is made of hard decisions that sometimes go against what you dream of."
He went on to say: "I heard people saying I was just thinking of the money, but they forget we have families to feed. Why would I accept to earn less money to play for Barcelona? Why are players the ones supposed to sacrifice themselves Besides, PSG offered me also an opportunity for a new challenge and the club are trailing the right path."
#2 Gianluigi Buffon
The Italian shot-stopper is one of the best goalkeepers in footballing history and it is no surprise that Barcelona were extremely keen on his signature.
Gianluigi Buffon caught the attention of the Barcelona hierarchy after stellar performances at his boyhood club, Parma. By then, Buffon was already on the radar of a host of European powerhouses, making it even tougher for Barcelona to secure his signing.
In a 2013 interview with Mediaset, Buffon said: "I could have joined Barcelona in 2001. However, I decided to join Juventus after discussing it with my father and I'm still grateful for it. Being at Juventus is a unique experience and has brought me a lot of satisfaction. And let's not forget that Barcelona back then were nothing like the team they are now."
Gianluigi Buffon returned to his boyhood club ahead of the 2021-22 footballing season and will be hoping to inspire his team to Serie A promotion.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo
Undoubtedly the most prominent player to have rejected Barcelona, Cristiano Ronaldo turned down a move to the Camp Nou in the 2009 summer transfer window.
In a double whammy for Barcelona, the Portuguese superstar moved to the Spanish capital in that same transfer window for a then-world record €94 million transfer. While Ronaldo was hell-bent on his dream move to Real Madrid, Sir Alex Ferguson offered the star forward to Barcelona in an attempt to keep his best players away from Madrid's gasps. Previously, Los Blancos had signed Manchester United greats like David Beckham, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Gabriel Heinze.
In a 2014 interview, former Real Madrid President Roman Calderon spilled the beans. "In the few weeks, he tried to avoid him going to Real Madrid, offering him to Barcelona. Barcelona were very happy at that moment, but it was very crucial as Ronaldo said: I'm not going to any other club but Real Madrid."
He added: "That's why we signed the deal. Everyone was happy: Manchester United got the £80 million, Real Madrid got the best player in the world and Cristiano got what he wanted because players like him are not only looking for money, they look for glory."
