Ignasi Miquel has revealed how he rejected a return to former club Barcelona in 2008; to sign for Arsenal. The Catalan club offered the centre back a return to La Masia after previously releasing him.

Miquel was speaking to AS.com in the week he made his debut for the Arsenal first-team, but the 18-year-old began by discussing his difficult journey to North London, and the offers he received.

“You learn to fight. When you get kicked out of Barcelona, you go down a bit because you think ‘a team like that says you can’t make it’. Then you think ‘you will not be able to continue in football’. I continued because I like it, and in the end I was lucky.”

“At 16 I was at UD Cornellà. Then came another offer from Barcelona, they wanted me again. I didn’t know what to do. My parents said I should stay at Barcelona, as this meant staying at home. But then Arsenal’s offer came and I said I wanted to go. They fully supported me.”

Ignasi then went to discuss his debut, admitting he felt he was ready to play, but that ultimately Arsène Wenger knows when the right time is to give an opportunity to a young player.

“I really wanted to play in the first-team, but those decisions are down to the manager. He knows more than you do about yourself. But I’m very happy anyway. A debut is debut, its amazing.”

The cultured defender is expected to have an experience building loan move next season.