Kevin Gameiro has claimed that he turned down interest from Barcelona to join Atletico Madrid from Sevilla in the summer transfer window.
The Frenchman was strongly linked with a move to Camp Nou throughout the summer, but it was Atletico that convinced the 29-year-old to leave Sevilla, where he had scored 68 goals over the course of three seasons.
Gameiro, who has netted twice in seven appearances for his new club this season, has said that "there was the possibility of going to Barcelona", but Atletico were always his first choice.
"There was the possibility of going to Barcelona," Gameiro told Cadena COPE. "But in my head it was clear I wanted to go to Atletico. When Atletico contacted me, it was clear."
Barcelona instead signed Spanish international Paco Alcacer from Valencia as back-up to Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar in the final third of the field.