Deco confirms Chelsea star rejected Barcelona contract extension

Barcelona sporting director Deco has lifted the lid on why Marc Guiu joined Chelsea this summer.

The Premier League giants continue to add players to their bloated squad, despite concerns over Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), with Guiu opting to swap Catalonia for London.

The 18-year-old was blooded into the Barcelona first team last season, and his contract was put up for renewal over the summer, with La Blaugrana confident of retaining the La Masia graduate.

However, despite looking certain to stay, Guiu chose to accept Chelsea’s offer, and Barcelona pocketed a €6m transfer fee.

Deco has spoken about how the deal came to fruition with Guiu’s rejection of their offer leading him to Stamford Bridge.

“Chelsea paid the release clause and he left. He had an old contract, with a €6m release clause. He was offered an important contract and an important project, but he made the decision to go another way”, as per quotes from Diario Sport.

“He took an offer from Chelsea. We offered him a project to be a forward for Barca, but he did not want it.”

Guiu has played a bit-part role so far at Chelsea this season, with just 25 minutes of Premier League action to his name, and no starts yet under new boss Enzo Maresca, as he settles into life in the English top-flight.