Barcelona 'did not have a need' to sign Bruno Fernandes in the January transfer window, according to club director Eric Abidal.
A number of reports linked the Portuguese midfielder with a move to Barcelona last month prior to his eventual transfer to Manchester United.
Fernandes eventually signed a five-and-a-half year deal with the option of an extra year at United after a lengthy transfer saga surrounding his future at Sporting Lisbon.
United had identified Fernandes as a possible target heading into the winter window but as talks dragged out over a deal reports in Spain began to link Catalan giants Barcelona with a move of their own.
Speculation in Spain suggested Barcelona could look to sign Fernandes and then loan him to Valencia in order to secure their own move for Rodrigo.
The current La Liga champions eventually signed neither of the players last month and now Abidal claims his side were never actually interested in a move for Portugal international Fernandes.
“He is an interesting player, but the agents try to do their job,” he told Sport when asked about the Portugal international.
“We did not have that need.
“They sell you the product, but we were not interested at all. Rodrigo really interested us.”
