Barcelona defender Gerard Pique admits his company came close to buying French club Red Star.

Piqué already owns, via Kosmos Holding Group, FC Andorra, which play in Spain's Tercera Division.

He revealed to L'Equipe: "We were about to buy Red Star. Unfortunately we came a little late to the negotiations, but I went to Paris, I saw the stadium, I talked to Patrice Haddad, who was then the owner.

"It interested me because it has gone well since we bought FC Andorra. We took the club in the fifth division and today we lead the third league. We want to replicate this model in another club.

"We immediately liked Red Star - for their history, their spectacular supporters and the renovated arena. We made a very good offer at the last minute, but it did not happen."