Frenkie de Jong decided to stay at Barcelona long before Chelsea and Manchester United made their interest known.
Both clubs attempted to sign the Dutch midfielder in the summer transfer window but found him unwilling to discuss a move, despite Barcelona’s desire to cash in on their highest-paid player.
United even agreed a £63million fee to sign De Jong but issues with the Blaugrana in deferred salary payments amid their financial crisis held up the deal.
De Jong has claimed “pressure” on him to leave Barcelona came from several quarters, although he held firm in his preference to stay in Spain.
“I was calm,” he told Ziggo Sport via Marca. “I decided, in May, that I wanted to stay.
“My opinion has never changed during all this period - I remained calm.
“But then you know that the pressure would start coming. Yes, from the newspapers, from the president. From everywhere in fact. But I wanted to stay at Barcelona, so it never baffled me.”
Barcelona face Real Madrid in El Clasico on Sunday.
