Six players who rejected Real Madrid to join Barcelona, including Neymar

Khel Now published on 2026-08-07 a list naming six players who turned down moves to Real Madrid and instead signed for FC Barcelona, with Neymar among those highlighted. The article outlines each player's choice and the circumstances reported around those transfer decisions.

The piece notes that players rarely refuse approaches from clubs of Real Madrid's or Barcelona's stature because of their history and profile, yet there have been occasions when targets preferred Barcelona. Khel Now presents six examples where interest from Real Madrid did not result in a transfer to the Spanish capital, and it suggests those decisions altered the career paths of the players involved.

After leaving Sevilla, Ivan Rakitić attracted interest and offers from Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid and Manchester City but opted to sign for FC Barcelona in June 2014. According to Mundo Deportivo, Real Madrid contacted Barcelona star Ivan Rakitić during the 2016 summer transfer window to see if he would be open to switching to their rivals; the Spanish daily reported the Croatian international rejected that approach.

Carles Puyol is listed as having declined Real Madrid on two occasions during his career. The article says Puyol explained he refused because he was already at what he considered the greatest club in the world and wanted to win his titles at Barcelona, ultimately remaining at the club for his entire career. It adds that, after his display defending Luis Figo at Camp Nou, Real Madrid manager José Antonio Camacho asked president Florentino Pérez to sign Puyol, but Puyol rejected the overtures.

While with Arsenal, Cesc Fàbregas reportedly spurned approaches from Real Madrid in favour of remaining loyal to manager Arsène Wenger before later returning to his boyhood club. The article records that Real Madrid made multiple attempts to sign Fàbregas and that he left Arsenal to join FC Barcelona in August 2011 after years of speculation and advances.

Luis Suárez is described as having turned down the chance to join Real Madrid when Barcelona entered the race to sign the Liverpool striker. The report quotes Suárez saying he chose Barcelona because it was his lifetime desire and he preferred them once they showed interest, and it adds that Real Madrid allegedly considered trading Karim Benzema to Arsenal to make room for Suárez before he opted for Barcelona.

Real Madrid made specific approaches and bids for Dani Alves during his outstanding years at Sevilla, the article states, but Alves said he followed his heart and moved to Camp Nou. It records that Alves formally joined Barcelona in the summer of 2008 and became a long-serving right-back for the club.

Neymar is noted to have turned down a move to Los Blancos in 2013 to sign for Barcelona; the piece reports he acknowledged being offered a "blank cheque" by Real Madrid that could have paid him up to three times more but that he chose Barcelona to play alongside Lionel Messi and because it was his heart's desire. The article also notes that Rodri became the latest player to turn down Real Madrid.

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