Kevin De Bruyne was reportedly the subject of interest from Barcelona before he put pen to paper on a lucrative new contract with Manchester City.
The 29-year-old Belgian midfielder has become the best-paid player in the Premier League after signing a deal which runs until 2025 in which he will earn around £385,000-a-week.
And unusually, he chose to represent himself during the six-month negotiation period, doing so without the help of an agent.
According to The Times, Barcelona had been monitoring De Bruyne carefully, and were considering making a move before the pandemic struck.
But the Catalan giants are now £1bn in debt, and any hope they had of tempting De Bruyne away from the Etihad has been completely snuffed out.
De Bruyne's priority is believed to be winning a Champions League before the end of his career, and he believes the best chance he has of doing that is staying at City.
Speaking after his contract extension was confirmed, he said: “I could not be happier. Since joining City in 2015, I have felt at home. I love the fans, my family are settled here in Manchester and my own game has developed really well.
“This football club is geared for success. It offers me everything I need to maximise my performance, so signing this contract was a straightforward decision. I am playing the best football of my career and I honestly feel there is more to come.
“Pep and I see football in the same way. Having that relationship with a manager is so important to me because our objectives are totally aligned and we want the same things.
“My focus now is on ensuring we have a successful end to the current campaign. Our results and performances so far have been excellent, but we need to make sure we end the season with the silverware we deserve.”
