Thiago: Barcelona didn't value me

The midfielder has denied suggestions he was close to joining Manchester United and says he had his heart set on a move to Bayern Munich this summer

Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara has hit out at Barcelona for undervaluing him during his time at the club.

The midfielder left Camp Nou for 20 million euros earlier in July, ignoring overtures from Manchester United to join up with former coach Pep Guardiola at the Allianz Arena.

"I wanted to feel valued," Thiago revealed to Rac1 on Thursday. "I wanted to leave and the club didn't do anything to make me stay.

"They knew I wanted to leave, but nobody from the club got in contact to [try to] persuade me to stay. In any case, you can't dwell on the past - it's better to look to the future.

"[Munich] is wonderful, very pretty and the people at the club and in the city have made things much easier for me [to settle in]."

The 22-year-old denied claims from his father and agent Mazinho that he nearly chose to join United ahead of the Bavarians while refusing to rule out a return to the Catalans in the future, despite not liking his treatment this summer.

"Nobody from Manchester United spoke to us," Thiago added. "Bayern were always my first option. Did Real Madrid want me? That's my business.

"During the summer I had a lot of patience, I was waiting and waiting [for Barca to make an offer] but there comes a [stopping] point.

"I would never close the door on Barca though - the club gave me so much."