IN SPORT.ES
Ahead of the January transfer window, Barcelona were working hard on improving the team in attacking areas, as requested by Xavi Hernandez.
There were several names on the table but one was above the rest: Manchester City's Raheem Sterling. Barça's director of football, Mateu Alemany, touched bases on a possible deal, but first wanted to meet the player to know him in person.
The impressions he got were a long way from what he believed Barça needed in that moment. Beyond Sterling's undoubted talent, the sensation was that the England international would struggle to adapt to life at Camp Nou.
In fact, when he translated his report to Xavi, he said that Sterling would be a "martian" at Barça and recommended that the club do not follow through with his signing.
And he proposed an alternative, Ferran Torres, who he had already spoken to, with the player "crazy" about signing for Barcelona.
Xavi didn't think twice and, from there, a deal for the Spain international was closed relatively easily after negotiations with City.