Outgoing Barcelona midfielder Sergi Samper ‘just wants to enjoy football again’ ahead of joining J-League side Vissel Kobe.
The 24-year-old has made just nine appearances for La Blaugrana in four years, with a sole Copa del Rey game his only first team action this season and has found first-team opportunities limited.
“I just want to play and enjoy football once again,” Samper told reporters, as cited by El Mundo Deportivo.
“I was presented with an ambitious proposal by the club’s owners and I was convinced in what they want to do, and they want to play in the same style as Barcelona.
“Andres Iniesta? Yes he tried to convince me too, he was influential and also explained what the club was about and why it would be the right place for me.”
He spent the 2016-17 campaign on loan at Granada and half of last season at Las Palmas, however he has now made the choice to pursue his career in Asia.
Samper made his first-team debut for Barca in the 2014/15 season against APOEL and made a total of 13 appearances for the club.
He joins up with former Barcelona club captain Andres Iniesta at the Japanese side, with David Villa completing the former Blaugrana trio in Kobe, after signing from New York City FC in February.