Barcelona midfielder Arda Turan reveals Arsenal were his second choice for transfer

Barcelona midfielder Arda Turan has said that if he did not get his dream move to Barcelona last summer he could have always transferred to Arsenal, who play a similar brand of football. The midfielder could only make his debut for the Catalans post January after the Spanish club had served their transfer ban and was a second half substitute against the Gunners at the Camp Nou in the round of 16 tie of the Champions League.

Turan, who played an important role in Atletico Madrid's title triumph in 2014, revealed that he always had his eyes set on a move to Barcelona and viewed Arsenal only as a second option if the transfer fell through. The Turkey international played only 13 minutes in both games against Arsenal, but insists that he has the quality to make it at the home of the Catalans.

Barcelona made easy work of the Gunners over the two legs, winning the tie 5-1 on aggregate, having all but sealed the fixture with a 2-0 win at the Emirates.

"I felt that I would sign for Barca," Turan told Diari Ara. "In all honesty I used to think, "If I play very well I will end up signing for Barca, because my style fits into this team. If I play well, I will end up at Arsenal. Because of my style with the ball, playing simple, short, aggressively when needs be, but above all with high quality, I knew that I could make it at Barcelona."

The midfielder also revealed that he had more freedom at Atletico but he is pleased to be performing with the likes of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar, who together form the best front three in the world.

"Prior to Atletico Madrid, when I played in my natural position, I used to have more freedom. Now, for the moment, I have to change my style because I have top players who are responsible for doing what I used to do," he added.

"This change does not bother me, I enjoy: play with Messi, Neymar, Busquets, Alves ... It is very easy to play with them, are amazing, tactically they are very intelligent. For me it is a new system, a language that I still have to learn to finish. At the moment, I'm happy, always win, and that facilitates adaptation, but I know that in time I will improve. Now we have to win all the titles and next year will be better for me," Turan stressed.