Jeremy Mathieu: I could have gone to Besiktas but wanted to stay at Barça
Barcelona defender Jeremy Mathieu explained he was close to signing for Besiktas, like his team-mate Adriano. However, he spoke with president Josep Bartomeu and sporting director Robert Fernandez, and said he did not want to leave.
"It's true there was contact but I told the president that I was very happy here and that my intention was to continue."
The club have not made things easy for Mathieu, signing two players who can play in his positions - centre-back and left-back. "Umtiti and Digne are my friends and team-mates. It's true they are players who play in my position, but it will not be a problem," said Mathieu.
"Luis Enrique already knows that I prefer to play as a centre-back, but in football you never know what could happen."
Of Umtiti, Mathieu said: "He had a great Euro 2016, winning the battle against Rami".
Mathieu also recommended to Martin Montoya that he should sign for Valencia, because "they're one of the biggest clubs in Spain".
He also added that he had suffered a bad night at St George's, on the first day of Barcelona's training camp in England. "I don't know what happened, but I couldn't sleep, and when the alarm went off I still hadn't slept. The medics recommended I rested."
