‘Money under the table’ – Former Spain international makes shocking claim about Barcelona’s illegal offer | OneFootball

Guayre Betancor, a product of the Las Palmas youth academy and a former Spain international, has revealed that he came close to joining Barcelona on two separate occasions during his career.

In an interview with Curios@s, he stated that despite his talent and potential, circumstances led him down a different path, ultimately shaping his journey in professional football.

“I was on the verge of signing for FC Barcelona twice,” he began saying.

Barcelona’s offer

The first opportunity arose when he was just 20 years old and playing for Las Palmas. Without attracting attention, he boarded a plane to Barcelona to meet with Carles Rexach, who was the club’s sporting director at the time.

During their meeting, Barcelona expressed a strong interest in signing him and even made an unusual financial offer to secure his services.

“When I was 20, playing for Las Palmas, I got on a plane and went to Barcelona. Without anyone knowing.

“I went to eat with Carles Rexach, who was the sporting director, and he said to me ‘We’re going to give you money under the table, you’re from a humble family.’

Barcelona attempted to sign Guayre Betancor. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

“They told me to stay in Las Palmas training and ‘then we’ll give you money under the table.’ Black money? Just like that. And that was the first time. I was freaking out,” he revealed.

Moved to Villarreal instead

As the season progressed, his performances caught the attention of Villarreal, who saw him as a promising addition to their squad.

The Yellow Submarine made a firm move and secured his transfer for €6 million. This decision proved to be a significant moment in his career, as it set him on a path that would eventually lead to an international call-up.

Betancor earned his first and only cap for Spain on 9 February 2005, during a World Cup qualification match against San Marino.

He featured for 17 minutes in the match, which ended in a dominant 5-0 victory for Spain. Though his time with the national team was brief, it remains a proud moment in his career.

At Villarreal, the Canarian forward enjoyed a productive five-year spell, making a total of 181 appearances for the club.

During this period, he found the back of the net 25 times, contributing to Villarreal’s rise as a competitive force in Spanish football.