Barcelona legend Xavi has claimed that the La Liga giants wanted him to extend his stay at the club.
The 35-year-old joined Qatari side Al Sadd this summer after spending 17 years with the Spanish champions.
"Josep Maria Bartomeu came to my house to convince me into staying at the club," he told RAC1.
"He'd already convinced me with Andoni Zubizarreta and Luis Enrique a year ago.
"This time around, he offered me a renewal until 2018, which was very interesting for me, but it was time to go."
Xavi lifted 25 trophies during his time at Barcelona, including seven league titles and four Champions Leagues.
