Barcelona Midfielder Rejects Arsene Wenger's Personal Approach

Barcelona football team
Sergi Samper (center) at Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain, August 10, 2016. Arsene Wenger tried to sign Samper for Arsenal. Alex Caparros/Getty

Barcelona midfielder Sergi Samper has insisted he "did not want to listen" to Arsene Wenger's offer to join Arsenal last summer.

Samper, the 21-year-old Spaniard, said he was courted by Wenger but made it clear that his intention was to star in the Barcelona first team.

Currently on loan at Granada, Samper has been gaining experience of La Liga and will look to return to the Camp Nou.

"I did not want to listen to Wenger," Samper told Granada's official website. "I told him clearly that I wanted to stay, I wanted to succeed at Barcelona, and what would make me happy was succeeding at Barcelona in the future."

He has featured for the Spain under-21's side and made his debut for the Barcelona first team.

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