Dani Alves Says He Turned Down Barcelona and Juventus Before Sao Paulo Transfer

Dani Alves has said he had the chance to join former clubs Barcelona and Juventus this summer before eventually opting to move to Sao Paulo. 

Alves' contract with Paris Saint-Germain expired at the end of the campaign, prompting speculation about where the iconic Brazil full-back would move to next. In the end, he returned to Brazil to join Sao Paulo, the club he supports, on a contract until 2022.

Speaking to the Players Tribune (h/t Goal), Alves said that Juventus and Barcelona wanted to bring him back for a second spell:

"I had the chance to go back to Juventus. I also had the chance to go back to Barca, because I wanted that.

"I don't decide what I do all of a sudden. I think: 'What will this club give me? How will this place make me a better person? How will this place make me a better professional?'"

Alves added that his primary ambition is to play at the 2022 FIFA World Cup for Brazil and, as such, he needed minutes on the field.

"Most of the clubs didn't offer me that, because they didn't believe in me, because they think I have an expiration date," he added. "And I've said it since I began my career: I'm free. I decide when I start. I decide when I finish."

As of yet, there is no sign of the 36-year-old slowing down. Alves excelled in the summer as Brazil won the Copa America on home soil—he was named as the Player of the Tournament. Football journalist Tim Stillman commented on how important the veteran still is to the Selecao:

Since moving to Sao Paulo, all the indications point to Alves being a major asset, too. Per South American football journalist Rupert Fryer, the new acquisition was able to make an instant impression at his new club:

The UEFA Champions League Twitter account took a look at some of his best moments in the competition earlier this year:

Alves has played in a number of different roles in recent matches, operating as a right-back in Brazil's 2-2 win over Colombia, but in an attacking midfield position for his club.

Even at this stage of his career, Alves is dynamic in possession, energetic and is capable of making contributions when he ventures into the final third.

As Goal noted after his transfer to Sao Paulo was confirmed, the Brazilian is also one of the most decorated players of his generation:

At Barcelona, Alves was one of the best full-backs in the world, with his surges down the right flank a trademark of their attacking play. In his eight years at the club, he won La Liga six times and the Champions League on three occasions.

With Juventus, he also won a domestic title in his solitary season, although riled supporters in 2017 when he publicly said star forward Paulo Dybala needed to leave the club to fulfil his potential. He left for PSG that summer, where he spent the next two seasons.