Marc Guiu rejected 'important' offer from Barcelona to join Chelsea as sporting director Deco reveals attempts to keep striker

Guiu joined Chelsea from Barcelona earlier this summer after the Premier League side triggered the 18-year-old's release clause €6 million (£5m/$6.6m). Barcelona sporting director Deco has now revealed that the Catalan side wanted to keep the striker at the club, but they failed to do so despite offering Guiu a massive contract upgrade.

Speaking to the media, Deco said: "Chelsea paid the release clause and he left. He had an old contract, with a €6 million release clause. He was offered an important contract and an important project, but he made the decision to go another way."

He added: "The player opted for an offer from Chelsea. We offered him a project to be a forward for Barca, but he did not want to."

Guiu has now been at Chelsea for just over a month, but has featured just once in the Premier League for Enzo Maresca's side having played in their league opener against Manchester City. He did play in both of Chelsea's Europa Conference League play-off clashes against Servette but has failed to impress.

The striker will likely be in the squad for Maresca's side for their upcoming clash against Bournemouth on September 14. However, he is unlikely to start the game.