Former Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas has revealed that he turned down a shock offer to join Barcelona at the start of the current campaign.
Navas joined Real Madrid in the wake of a transformative 2014 World Cup campaign for Costa Rica, playing a starring role as the Central American minnows made it to the competition's quarter-finals. Assuming the lofty mantle of Iker Casillas' replacement, Navas played a crucial role in three consecutive Champions League titles between 2016 and 2018.
The elastic shot-stopper ultimately moved to Paris Saint-Germain in 2019 and was without a club last summer after his contract in the French capital was allowed to expire. Following a serious injury to Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Barcelona went out in search of a short-term solution to fill the void between the posts.
Before settling upon Wojciech Szczesny, the Catalans made an approach for their 38-year-old former rival.
"My name was mentioned in the media about Barca. They called my agent," Navas confirmed in an interview with El Larguero. "For me, I saw it as a great thing that the team that was a rival for so long, and I've always been a Real Madrid player, sees me as an option. It's very nice, and this interest is a compliment."
However, there was little chance of the Costa Rican crossing the Clasico divide. It would have been a very different story had Real Madrid's president been on the phone. "If Florentino Perez calls me instead of Barcelona," Navas revealed, "I'm swimming if I have to."
The veteran keeper, who ultimately accepted an offer from Argentine side Newell's Old Boys in January, opened up on his reluctant Real Madrid exit six years ago. Relegated to the role of backup following Thibaut Courtois' arrival, Navas moved to PSG in search of more playing time.
"These are the decisions you make not with your heart, but with football in mind," Navas explained. "I left Madrid because I didn't have the minutes to play and another team gave them to me... If it were up to my heart, I would have spent my whole life at Real Madrid.
"I wanted to leave as much as I want to die."
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