Dani Alves explains why he rejected the chance to rejoin Barcelona this summer

Dani Alves

Dani Alves says he rejected the chance to rejoin Barcelona and Juventus this summer.

The Brazil international returned to his homeland to sign for Sao Paulo in August.

But the right-back says he could have returned to the Camp Nou or the Allianz Stadium instead.

Alves won six La Liga titles and three Champions League with Barcelona, before claiming a Serie A-Coppa Italia double with Juventus.

However, he has hinted that the lack of a long-term contract offer from the two European clubs persuaded him to return to Brazil.

"I was looking for stability going into the 2022 World Cup but the only team to offer me that was the club of my dreams: Sao Paulo," he told the Players' Tribune.

"The rest of the clubs didn't believe in me.  I've always been a free transfer. I decided where to play and when I'd leave." 

Alves hopes to add the 2022 World Cup to his list of international honours, having won the Copa America with Brazil in 2007 and 2019.

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Greg Lea

Greg Lea is a freelance football journalist who's filled in wherever FourFourTwo needs him since 2014. He became a Crystal Palace fan after watching a 1-0 loss to Port Vale in 1998, and once got on the scoresheet in a primary school game against Wilfried Zaha's Whitehorse Manor (an own goal in an 8-0 defeat).