French international soccer player Jules Conde revealed the reason behind his preference to move to Barcelona instead of Chelsea during the transfer window this summer, saying, “I preferred to talk to Xavi.”
Conde chose to move from Sevilla to Barcelona this summer on a five-year contract, after he was on the verge of moving to Chelsea.
Seville’s director of football, Monchi, said at the time that Conde had resorted to a move to Barcelona after Chelsea withdrew his offer due to “doubts”.
But Conde confirmed, in an interview with the French sports newspaper “L’Equipe”, that he made the decision after luring Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez.
He explained: “First of all, I moved to a huge club, which has seen good times, which has fallen a little bit lately… I came to a project that I wouldn’t call (rebuilding), because we already have a team that can compete, but instead, it is rotated.”
He added: “I wanted to be part of this movement and this project, in search of titles, and to return Barcelona to the place it has always occupied, among the best clubs.”
He noted: “There was a conversation with the coach. We talked about football. I felt real confidence in him, that he knows me well, knows my way of playing and my qualities… I also spoke with Thomas Tuchel (former Chelsea manager) and I also felt that he wanted to join me, but I simply preferred to talk to Xavi.”
Chelsea made a shaky start to the season and recently sacked Tuchel after 20 months in charge of the German coach.
Despite the financial problems that Barcelona suffered from in the last period, the team started the current season strongly; It occupies second place behind Real Madrid in the Spanish league by only two points after the first six matches in the competition.