The Southampton midfielder began his career at Camp Nou.
Southampton’s Oriol Romeu has revealed he received no contact from former club Barcelona last summer.
Romeu was linked with a return to Barça – the club whose academy helped to develop him – towards the end of last season [Echo].
Had an approach arrived, however, the 26-year-old has told Marca he would have erred on the side of caution.
“Nothing came to me,” said Romeu, who has appeared in all but two of Southampton’s Premier League fixtures this season. “Yes, I heard some rumours that they needed players there and they were considering several names, but [they] never contacted me or my agent. Probably, they did not see me as an option.
“As I said before, go to a big club but be in the background, I do not know if I would accept it. I do not enjoy [that]. What I want is to play.
“I do not think I could be a starter at Barça, that’s the way it is.”
Instead of bringing Romeu back to Camp Nou, Barcelona spent around £35 million on the former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Paulinho.
The Brazilian is one of several star studded names in the Blaugrana engine room, alongside Ivan Rakitic, Sergio Busquets, Denis Suarez, Andres Iniesta, Sergio Roberto and Andre Gomes.
Romeu, who left Barca for Chelsea seven years ago, is under contract with Southampton until June 2021.
However, the Catalan could be forced to consider his options should the Saints drop out of the Premier League this season.
Mauricio Pellegrino’s side are currently 18th in the standings – a point adrift of safety.
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