Almeida Reveals Barcelona's Interest, but Valencia Refused to Release Him

In an interview with Portuguese media outlet ZeroZero, Almeida stated that Barcelona showed interest in him while he was at Valencia, but the club refused to let him leave.

Almeida also mentioned that he was unhappy during his final years at Mestalla when discussing his departure.

The Portuguese midfielder, now playing for Racing Santander, said, "Wearing the number 10 shirt at Valencia was a mistake. I needed a change; I couldn't really be happy." He added that the club failed to keep certain promises, which damaged their relationship: "They told me things that were never fulfilled."

Almeida recalled, "Mendes called me to tell me that Barcelona was interested in me."

He stated that the deal would have been a loan with a purchase option. However, Valencia was struggling to avoid relegation at the time and considered Almeida crucial to the team, so they refused to release him.

Almeida said, "I think they had some injured players at that time and wanted to negotiate a loan with a purchase option. But because we were almost relegated, and I was very important to the club, they wouldn't let me leave."

Almeida added that the interest never materialized into a formal offer. He understood Valencia's decision, but after Gattuso left, the team's playing style changed: "After Gattuso left, we started playing in a completely different way, which didn't suit my characteristics."

Nevertheless, Almeida expressed his gratitude, saying, "I'm thankful for the opportunity Valencia gave me."

Diterjemahkan oleh AI.

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