Atletico Madrid's Koke reveals why he turned down Barcelona

Atletico Madrid midfielder Koke was linked with a move to Barcelona.

Atletico Madrid midfielder Koke has revealed his reasons for rejecting a move to Barcelona, stating that his desire to keep playing at the Vicente Calderon was too strong for him to leave the Rojiblanocos.

Speaking in an interview with Spanish sports website AS, the 22-year-old said, "The truth is that part of me said it was difficult to say no to Barca, but I wanted to continue at home for many years at Atletico.”

"It wasn’t time to leave. This is my home, where I feel wanted and the club didn’t need to sell. How was I going to leave at the best time for Atletico? It’s not easy to say no to Barca and their interest was appreciated. It means the work I’ve done has paid off. But I’m at home here.”

Koke (Atletico Madrid): "It was difficult to say no to Barcelona, but this is my home." [as]

— barcastuff (@barcastuff) August 3, 2014

Koke was subject to several bids from Barcelona following a sensational domestic campaign last season, helping Atletico Madrid to their first La Liga title in two decades.

"I’m just another player at Atletico, a player who gives everything for his team and does what Simeone asks. I’m not the best or the flagship, the banner. The most important thing to me is to make a better Atletico and be a team player, which is ultimately what matters,” he continued.

"The new signings are great players, they’re all important and I believe they will all contribute a lot to the team. They hope to do things right and that is something Simeone values highly," he added.

Koke had recently signed a new five-year deal with Atletico, with him being one of the club’s highest paid players earning around €6 million annually.