Borussia Dortmund defender Thomas Meunier has revealed that Barcelona made an approach to sign him during the January transfer window.
Speaking in an interview with Het Laatste Nieuws (h/t BVB Buzz), Borussia Dortmund and Belgium right-back Thomas Meunier revealed that Barcelona tried to sign him in the January transfer window, but the German outfit blocked the move.
Meunier joined Dortmund in the summer transfer window of 2020 on a Bosman deal after his contract with Paris Saint-Germain had run out. He has had a mixed stint in Germany, impressing on occasions and being utterly disappointing on others. He has, to date, made 59 appearances for the Black and Yellows, scoring three goals and registering seven assists.
While he may not be the most well-established name in the game, Meunier was seemingly chased by Barcelona during the January transfer window earlier this year, as per the defender himself.
The 30-year-old has revealed that the Catalans wanted an affordable new right-back during the winter and had contacted Dortmund to sign him. However, the Bundesliga giants flat out knocked back the approach from Barcelona while also informing the player that they would not sell him.
Thomas Meunier (Borussia Dortmund): "When Dortmund called me about the offer they had received from Barcelona in January, they immediately said: 'Sorry, you can't leave'. [hln] pic.twitter.com/4tQ6pQ9eV7
— Barca Scoop Ⓜ️ (@barcascoop) April 2, 2022
“It could have been… Barcelona were looking for a reliable right-back for an affordable price, given their financial situation. I fit their profile. I have proven that this season. But when Dortmund called me about the offer they received from Barcelona, it immediately sounded like, ‘Sorry. you can’t leave,’” he said in the interview above.
Further elaborating on the situation, Meunier added that a chance to play for a big club like Barcelona would have been a great chance for him. However, he also stated that he understood Dortmund’s stance on the matter.
“Barcelona, that’s a train that only passes once in a lifetime. Dortmund is already a big club, but Barça… It’s unique. Just like Real, Bayern and United are in their own way. In principle, you don’t say ‘no’ to such clubs. Mentally it was not simple.”
“But I understand Dortmund, it was barely a week before the end of the window. Maybe Dortmund would have said ‘yes’ if it had been a bid of 50 million euros, but that was unrealistic,” he added.
Barcelona did not sign a new right-back in January but successfully registered Dani Alves after his arrival in November last year on a free transfer. The Brazilian has done a solid job at Camp Nou, while Sergino Dest has also shown signs of improvement. As for Meunier, he has a contract with Dortmund until 2024 and looks set for a stay at Signal Iduna Park, at least for now.
