French defender Jeremy Mathieu has confirmed that he paid three million euros out of his own pocket to make his move to Barcelona happen.

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Mathieu, 30, signed a four-year contract with the Catalans in the summer in a transfer that was worth 20 million euros to his former club Valencia.

Barcelona had only been willing to pay 17 million euros, however, meaning that Mathieu made up the difference to ensure that his dream move would go through.

Mathieu has been impressive since moving from Valencia and is yet to concede a goal in a Barcelona shirt. David Ramos/Getty Images

In doing so, the former Toulouse player followed the lead of Javier Mascherano and Cesc Fabregas, who are also said to have helped finance moves to Barcelona in the past.

"It was a way of unblocking the situation because I saw that the president of Valencia didn't want to drop the 20 million-euro asking price," Mathieu told Le Parisien.

"I really wanted to come to Barcelona and it also shows that I'm not here for money. I put my hand in my pocket for a considerable sum but it was worth it."

The decision certainly seems to have paid off as Mathieu, who has three caps for France, was this month called up to the Didier Deschamps' squad for the first time in over a year.

Barcelona have yet to concede a goal this season with Mathieu in defence and he says he was a little put out by critics who felt he was not worth what the Spanish league leaders had paid for him.

"A little bit yes, because it wasn't me who set the price," he said. "Am I worth 20 million euros? I don't know.

"But that motivated me and now I have the feeling that I have reversed opinion. I've played five matches from the start and I think I've done the job.

"People have seen that I'm good enough but I know that the hardest thing is to remain consistent."