Bojan Krkic, the former Barcelona and Stoke City forward, is preparing to take up a new sport.
The 32-year-old striker, who was released by J-League outfit Vissel Kobe in December last year after a two-year stay, has enjoyed a 17-year career that has featured spells at Roma, AC Milan, Ajax and more recently MLS side Montreal Impact.
But the Spaniard is considering life away from football. After leaving Japan in the winter, Bojan teamed up with former teammate Andres Iniesta to launch Barcelona-based cycling brand, Guava Bikes.
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At the time of writing, they only have one model for sale, the Guava Spot, a bike that costs more than £5,000.
On top of the Guava project, former Spain international Bojan is currently in training to take part in gravel cycling – a sport he has grown to love in recent years.
Speaking to Spanish publication AS, the Barcelona youth product opened up about his new venture.
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"I think that when I enter this project it will be to stay and that I continue to be linked to cycling," he said.
"It is a good way to combine sport and social activity. I could participate soon to be in some races. I'm going to prepare for it.
"I have always liked the bike, even as a means of transportation, but for about five years I have loved gravel. Whenever I can, I go out to do my routes.
"Regarding soccer, it also serves as training, because as it has no physical impact it allows you to travel many kilometres without damaging the body."
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Away from his time at Barcelona and perhaps Bojan's most prominent spell came at Stoke City. He spent five seasons at the Britannia before leaving by mutual consent at the end of the 2018/19 campaign.
In an interview with SPORTbible in 2021, he admitted he didn't know a great deal about the club before penning a four-year deal.
"If I'm honest with you, it was the Premier League that was the initial attraction," he says.
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"I went there without knowing the style of Stoke, without knowing much, to be honest, but it was a dream to play in England."
Bojan knew it was a bold decision to join Stoke, who were in a transitional period at the time, but it paid off.
In his debut season, the club won every game he scored in until he suffered a serious knee injury in an FA Cup win against Rochdale in January 2015.
"It was one of the biggest decisions of my career and I was proud to play for them," he added.
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"I've played at big clubs and smaller clubs but after Barcelona, I can say my second home is Stoke. It was where I was most happy.
"I believe that I played my best level of football there. The fans are incredible and even now, they send me messages. They will forever be in my heart."
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Topics: Andres Iniesta, Barcelona, Japan, Vissel Kobe, Stoke City
Jack Kenmare