BVB defender Thomas Meunier on missed transfer to FC Barcelona

Conversations with Cruyff in winter

Dortmund’s right-back Thomas Meunier has been suffering from a torn tendon since February and BVB will also miss the top game against RB Leipzig on Saturday (from 6:30 p.m. in the TM live ticker). In an interview with the Belgian newspaper “Het Laatste Nieuws”, the 30-year-old, whose contract with the Westphalian runs until 2024, gave an insight into the talks with FC Barcelona last winter: A possible change failed in the first place that Borussia could no longer have adequately provided a replacement a few days before the transfer window closed.

“It could have been… Barcelona were looking for a reliable right-back – someone who is physically strong and complete, and who can also pose a threat – at an acceptable price given the club’s financial situation. I fit this profile and these different parameters. I proved that again this season. But when Dortmund called me about the offer from Barcelona, ​​it immediately came through: ‘I’m sorry, you can’t go’,” said the Belgian international, who joined the Black and Yellows on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain in 2020.

BVB professional Meunier “also surprised” by FC Barcelona’s offer

Since then, Meunier has contributed to ten goals in 59 games for BVB, his market value has fallen by more than half since the transfer after he was repeatedly set back by injuries and temporarily lost his regular place. The Catalans’ offer tempted him, Meunier openly admitted. “Barcelona, ​​this is a train that stops in front of you only once in a lifetime. I was also surprised when Jordi Cruijff called me. He explained the plan. Barça wanted to sign me either with an option to buy or immediately. Imagine that… Dortmund is already a big club, but Barça… It’s unique.”

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According to Meunier, “basically you don’t say no” to clubs in this category. “It wasn’t easy mentally. But I understand Dortmund – it was just under a week until the end of the transfer window. (…) Maybe Dortmund would have said yes if it had been a 50 million euro offer, but that was unrealistic. That call from Barcelona really came out of nowhere, so Dortmund didn’t have enough time to find a replacement for me.”

Meunier: “You can’t yell, ‘You bastards, why don’t you let me go?'”

He doesn’t blame BVB: “Then you can’t scream: ‘You bastards, why don’t you let me go?'” The defender sees the offer from Spain primarily as a “fantastic compliment. That proves that what I’m showing in Dortmund is good. And it creates even more enthusiasm and motivation. Besides, it was never my intention to leave Dortmund now. I like it here.”

The right footer is hoping for a quick return to the pitch: “I played almost everything until January. In the league, in the cup and in the Champions League. (…) I feel good physically. My lifestyle, the intensity of the training, that’s fine. The injury was probably just bad luck. A wrong move.”

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