Liverpool defender Agger admits Barcelona temptation

The Blaugrana had a bid for the Reds star rejected in the summer and, while the Dane confesses that he was interested, he is content to stay at Anfield if he is wanted there

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Liverpool centre-back Daniel Agger admits that he was tempted to join Barcelona in the close-season.

The Catalan giants had a bid for the Denmark captain turned down over the summer, with Gerardo Martino also looking at David Luiz of Chelsea.

Though Camp Nou is an attractive prospect for Agger, however, he insists that he is happy to stay where he is as long as he remains wanted.

"I think you are always tempted when stuff like that happens," the defender told The Times. "You would not be human not to be but I keep to my principles.

"If I have a contract here for two or three years and the club want me to stay, then I stay with them because, when I signed that deal, that's what I told them - that I'd be here for four years. I can't just turn around and say I don't want to be here anymore.

"It might have been different if the club had said it was in the best interests of both of us to go our different ways.

"In that case Barcelona would have been the best place to go, without a doubt, but the club came to me and told me they wanted me here.

"I'm not saying I wasn't tempted, because anyone would be in that situation, but for the club to say that to me was enough. I am happy here and my family is happy here also and that's a good combination."

Agger has been restricted to just six Premier League appearances for Liverpool this season, in part down to a rib injury sustained in September.

He returned to the starting XI in the club's 4-0 rout of Fulham before the international break and will hope to retain his place for Saturday's Merseyside derby at Everton.