Thiago Silva says only a promise he gave to PSG sporting director Leonardo kept him from signing for Barcelona.
The Brazilian defender is now skipper at PSG, who he signed for at the end of last season from AC Milan.
Leonardo had been pivotal in poaching the world’s most expensive defender from the San Siro, after Barca had also expressed their interest.
Thiago now says that he is a lifelong Barca fan however, and dreams of playing for the Catalan club someday.
"There were conversations with my agent, but we had given our word to Leonardo, who I knew from Milan," Silva told Mundo Deportivo.
"Once I gave my word, it was difficult to pull back. But you never know what might happen in the future. People dream.
"I have always been a Barca fan, since I was a boy, when they had Romario, Rivaldo, Ronaldo...
“I am their number one fan. After Wednesday I will continue to be. I am happy at the moment at PSG, I hope to keep helping this project."
Silva has hinted that there could be a buyout clause in his contract, enabling him to move to Barca eventually.
But for now his is determined to help PSG shock the Catalan club, and qualify for the semi-finals of the Champions League on Wednesday night.
The classy defender has been declared fit to play, and he will fancy PSG’s chances more against "the best club in the world" if "the best player in the world" Lionel Messi is not in the Blaugrana line-up due to injury.
"It is very difficult to mark [Messi] because he is very quick, he carries the ball stuck to his feet," Silva said.
"The truth is if he does not play it will be a relief for me. But not completely as they have [David] Villa and Pedro [Rodriguez] is coming back...[but] the losses of [Carles] Puyol and [Javier] Mascherano are a bigger problem for them.
“They have to improvise at the back, which will complicate things for them a little, although Barca is always Barca.
"They do not just have the best player in the world, but the best team too."
