Frenkie de Jong has revealed just how close he came to joining Tottenham Hotspur last summer.
The talented 21-year-old will link up Barcelona in July after a deal was done in January.
But he has revealed that how near he got to having his head turned by Tottenham last year.
“The moment wasn’t right. I wasn’t finished at Ajax, as I hadn’t yet played a full season in my own position," he told FourFourTwo .
“I was also injured in that period, so I was thinking, ‘Not yet’. I felt I should stay for another year at Ajax, or perhaps longer.
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“I considered their offer long and hard. I see Tottenham as a very stable club, and they are only getting better.
"They give young players a chance and I see Mauricio Pochettino as a manager who really improves young players. I like the kind of football they are playing. I think it would have suited my game.”
He had one big reason for saying no to Daniel Levy and Spurs.
“I’d always wanted to play for Barcelona ,” he added. “The money they were prepared to pay Ajax [€75m, rising to €86m] showed me how serious they were.
"I felt I had to grab the opportunity, because maybe it wouldn’t come around again.
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“Of course it doesn’t mean I’ll automatically play from the start. But everything about Barcelona is beautiful. My family agreed I had to go for it. I’ll do everything in my power to succeed there.’”
Levy hopes the club's new stadium can help turn them into a big player in European football.
"You can't be a big club in a 36,000 stadium but you can be in a 62,000 stadium," he told Sky Sports .
"It's a massive lift for Tottenham and London. It couldn't come at a better time in view of the political situation we have at the moment with Brexit ."
Tottenham officially cut the ribbon on Wednesday night when they welcome Crystal Palace in the Premier League.
