Real Madrid offered double-your-money offer to Barcelona's Puyol

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has revealed an offer was made by Real Madrid for defender Carles Puyol.

AS says the offer was for over £6 million-a-year, but Puyol rejected it in preference to agreeing a revised deal with Barca on reduced terms.

"We can be proud of our captain," said Laporta yesterday. "He rejected an offer which was worth double his own contract. The offer was made recently at the height of negotiations surrounding Samuel Eto'o."

Puyol's current buy-out clause is set at £120 million.