Emerson Royal on Tottenham transfer: "The way Barça behaved hurts"

Emerson Royal on Tottenham transfer: "The way Barça behaved hurts"

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The right-back joined the Premier League side on deadline day in a €25m deal

Emerson Royal has told Marca he was hurt with the way Barcelona sold him to Tottenham Hotspur on deadline day.

The Brazil right-back joined Tottenham in a deal worth €25 million just two months after Barça had paid €9m to recall him from Real Betis.

Emerson, 22, says he didn't want to leave Barca but that the club's financial situation meant they forced him out the exit door this week.

"I thought the club wanted me to stay," he said. "I started (vs. Getafe) on Sunday. The next day I got up to train, which is when I started to see a mountain of things came coming out: that Tottenham were talking Barcelona, that it was almost done...

"I didn't understand anything because I didn't know anything! The club called me to go to the training ground and there I learned they wanted to sell me.

"The directors were there, telling me the club's situation wasn't good, that they were going through a difficult moment and it was best to accept the offer.

"I repeated that I wanted to stay because it was my dream to play for Barcelona. I knew I could succeed there if I was at my best. But I'm not stupid and we reached a moment where I realised they were telling me I was going whatever happened.

"I would not say I feel used, but the way they behaved hurts. There are better ways to do things. When I joined I was sure they didn't want to sell me, but seeing what's happened, I'm certain they had this in mind when they brought me back."

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