Keita - I shunned Real & Juve

Midfielder loving Barca life

Last updated: 4th September 2008

Keita - I shunned Real & Juve

Keita: Happy to move

Ramadan? I would like to do it, but if the club does not let me then I will not.

Seydou Keita
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Seydou Keita has revealed that Juventus and Real Madrid also wanted to sign him in the summer, but Barcelona's prolonged interest meant that he only ever wanted to move to Camp Nou.

After joining from Sevilla, the 28-year-old became the first Malian player to appear for the Blaugrana and he wants to prove himself at the Catalan outfit.

Barca became aware of Keita when he was playing in France, where he represented Marseille, Lorient and Lens between 1999 and 2007, and that helped persuade him that they were serious.

"Last December Barca became interested in signing me, although they had already enquired about me when I was playing in France," he told Sport.

Following just one season in Spain with Sevilla, the Blaugrana matched Keita's buy-out clause, but they faced competition from other interested clubs.

"As well as the Catalans though, Juve and Real also wanted me. But I had already made my mind up to join Barca and did not want to change it," he continued.

First-team chances

At Camp Nou, Keita understands that he cannot demand to be in the team every week, but he has vowed to do everything he can to help the team start winning silverware again.

"I have not come here to say how pleased I am to have joined a club like this, I have come here to contribute, to be happy and to play. When you are part of a club like this you have to win, win, win," he explained.

"I am not here to be a tourist, I have come to play. I want to win the title and the Champions League.

"Here there are so many players with such great quality that the coach cannot assure anyone that they will be a regular.

"Pressure does not worry me because I will simply give everything that I have and then we will see what happens during the season."