Moroccan defender Omar Hilali, a player for Espanyol, confirmed that he rejected an offer from Barcelona on two occasions.

Al-Hilali said in a statement reported by the Spanish newspaper "Mundo Deportivo": "I rejected an offer from Barcelona twice. I will not think about it." He explained this by his great love for Espanyol, the Blaugrana's rival in Catalonia.

Hilali is one of the most prominent emerging players in Espanyol, as he played 9 matches with the team this season.

Al-Hilali confirmed that he received two offers from Barcelona, ​​one before he joined the Espanyol academy, and the second when he was promoted to the youth team, adding: “But I did not even think about it.”

He continued: “If Espanyol offers me a lifelong contract, I will stay here forever. It is very clear. I admire Espanyol a lot. It is the club that trusted me when I was in the neighborhood, and I did not have clear ideas at the time.”

He concluded: “Espanyol was the first club that trusted me. I am a person who never forgets when someone does something important with me and my family for many years.”

Omar Hilali, 21 years old, played 11 matches with the Moroccan national team between the under-20 and under-23 categories.