Raheem Sterling might have been a Barcelona player right now, but one meeting changed the club's mind and they decided to sign Ferran Torres instead.
The beginning of the season was a rough time for Sterling, fresh off impressing in Euro 2020 during England's run to the final, the forward was struggling to get into Pep Guardiola's team.
It led to reports that he was ready to quit the Etihad Stadium in search of first team football, and Barcelona became the early favourites to sign the 27-year-old.
However, in the end it was Sterling's teammate Ferran Torres who moved to the Nou Camp, after he felt he wouldn't get the first team opportunities he needed under Guardiola.
Now it's been revealed that one Barcelona head honcho didn't think that Sterling would have adapted to life at the club and that's why they picked Torres instead.
According to SPORT, Barca director Mateu Alemany had a meeting with the England forward and decided he wouldn't be able to make it at the club and that he would be a 'martian' in Barcelona.
Alemany is said to have been impressed by the former Liverpool star's "indisputable talent," but went to Xavi to tell the manager about his worries over the player's potential adaptability issues.
The club then changed their attention to another forward, following the retirement of Sergio Aguero after only five appearances for them, just months after moving from City.
The director is then said to have sat down with Torres, for a similar meeting to the one he had with Sterling, and reported back that the former Valencia player was 'crazy to come' to Barca.
After €55 million, and the loaning out of Philippe Coutinho and Samuel Umtiti's new contract, they were able to sign and register the 21-year-old forward, who did have a rather disappointing debut.
Xavi's side are still desperately trying to fight just to finish in the top four and qualify for the Champions League this season, a huge fall from their former heights.
The club are already planning for next season, and have been linked with a move for Erling Haaland, despite their ongoing financial problems.
In order to make sure those problems don't get worse in the future, the Catalan giants are set to bring in a much lower wage cap for any new player signing.
Featured Image Credit: PATopics: Barcelona, La Liga, Manchester City, Premier League, Raheem Sterling, Transfers, Ferran Torres
Ryan Sidle