Barça Instead of Bayern? Transfer Flop Zaragoza Had Another Top Option | OneFootball

Bryan Zaragoza looks back on his time with FC Bayern and now confirms: Before his move to Munich, he was also in contact with FC Barcelona.

Bryan Zaragoza never made the breakthrough he’d hoped for at FC Bayern. The Spaniard was loaned out several times after his move to Munich and currently plays for Espanyol Barcelona. Now the 24-year-old has revealed that his career could have taken a very different path back then.

That’s because, in addition to FC Bayern, FC Barcelona apparently also showed concrete interest in the attacking player. In an interview with Cadena SER, Zaragoza confirmed these contacts.

“There was actually a possibility that I would move to Barça. There were contacts,” the Spaniard explained. At the time, Zaragoza had drawn attention to himself with strong performances at FC Granada. Ironically, he played one of his most impressive games against Barcelona. Afterward, the Catalans apparently expressed their interest.

In the end, however, Zaragoza decided to join FC Bayern. From a sporting perspective, this move didn’t pay off. The winger was unable to establish himself permanently in Munich, and several loan spells followed.

Nevertheless, Zaragoza does not regret the move to Bayern.

Despite his difficult time on the field, Zaragoza looks back on his move to Germany without regret: “It was an important step. […] I was 20 years old and had never left my comfort zone—the language, the climate,” explained the Spaniard.

His first impressions of the German record champions have also stayed with him to this day: “I was sitting at the table and thought I was in the video game FIFA. I saw Neuer, Kimmich … and here I was, coming from playing soccer in my neighborhood.”

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Despite all the difficulties, his time in Munich shaped him: “It taught me a great deal. I’ll never regret it,” said Zaragoza.

Meanwhile, the forward is trying to reestablish himself permanently at Espanyol. His contract with FC Bayern runs through 2029, but Espanyol holds a purchase option. Whether his time in Munich will finally come to an end next summer will likely depend on how Zaragoza performs in Barcelona.