Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta. (Photo : Getty Images)
Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta reportedly turned down a huge Chinese Super League offer as the Spain international wants to continue playing in La Liga's pace and prepare himself for the coming 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Football Espana reported that Ramon Sostres, the 32-year-old Spanish midfielder's agent, verified that "representatives from China have been in contact with him" recently to try and entice his client into making a highly lucrative Far East move.
Iniesta had been consistent on rejecting any proposal's to exit the Camp Nou at the moment as he does not want to leave all the success in what is considered as the best football team in the world today. He also said that he aims to "get in the best possible shape for the 2018 World Cup finals in Russia" and the competitions in the Spanish top flight is the best avenue to achieve that.
The unnamed Chinese club, most probably from the country's first division domestic competitions, the Chinese Super League, said to have attempted to lure Iniesta with a massive six-figure weekly wage, but the 5-foot-8 Fuentealbilla, Spain native is unbending in his intention to stay where he can be at his best at the moment.
Iniesta's current contract with the Catalonia giants is not set to expire for another two years, in 2018, and it would be safe to stay that he will remain with Barça until then.
Rumors are out that he will most probably gather overtures from the MLS, Middle East, and again China, which by then could be received with a different answer.
Meanwhile, Bleacher Report noted that "a move to China would mean a step down quality-wise for Iniesta" as he is still young enough to compete with the best players in Europe and around the world for that matter.
The report also said that it would be "highly likely that he will never leave Barcelona" as he is not only thriving with one of the greatest football teams ever assembled but he also started his professional career with the club, climbing up the ranks from Barça's youth academy from 1996 to 2001, to its team B from 2001 to 2003, and finally to its first team since 2003.
Iniesta already has 592 appearances in all competitions for the Blaugrana first team in 14 seasons, scoring 54 goals mainly as a defensive midfielder.
