Bayer Leverkusen signing Aleix Garcia says a move to Barcelona fell through due to their financial issues.
The midfielder left Girona for Bayer at the end of last season.
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Garcia, on Barca's interest, said: "It was real, there were talks between my agent and their sporting director. If they didn't come it's because perhaps Barça's situation didn't allow it and they couldn't do it.
"If they wanted to come and sign me, they would have come."
He also said: "I wanted to have the chance to stay at Girona because it was an incredible season and I couldn't wait to play the Champions League here. In the end, after a series of talks between the clubs, Girona and I decided that the best thing to do was to leave rather to stay."