No regrets about Barcelona stay for Jonathan Dos Santos

Posted Thursday, March 21, 2013 by YAHOO Sport

Jonathan Dos Santos is on the outside looking in at Mexico’s quest to reach Brazil 2014, but the 22-year-old has no regrets about his decision to stay at Barcelona, where he has only six minutes playing time in La Liga this season.

“I don’t regret that I stayed, I’m happy,” he told the Primer Toc show on Catalan radio station RAC1. “I have hope that some day the moment comes (to be a starter for Barca).”

The younger Dos Santos brother both rejected the opportunity to join Sevilla on loan in the summer and the chance to be part of the El Tri squad that eventually went on to win the Olympic gold medal in London.

During the current international break, Jonathan is one of only three first team players to stay at the Catalan club, while Mexico’s squad prepares for crucial World Cup qualifiers against Honduras and the United States.

But Dos Santos points to the fact he has been training alongside some of the world’s best players like Lionel Messi and has been improving.

“I’m learning from the best in the world, I’m in the best school and best club in the world,” he added. “People can say I wasted a year, but for me I haven’t.”

With the likes of Sergio Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta, Thiago, Javier Mascherano and Alex Song all battling it out for starting spots at Barcelona, Dos Santos knows he can’t wait forever for his chance and may eventually have to look elsewhere for first team soccer.

“I still don’t know what’s out there, we’ll see in the summer,” said Dos Santos. “You don’t know what could happen.”

Dos Santos added that the Premier League has always been of interest to him.