Barcelona defender Gerard Pique has claimed that the senior players at Manchester United were "arseholes" when he was trying to break into the first team as a youngster.

The Spain international signed for United when he was 17 years old before making the move to Barcelona four years later in 2008.

In an interview with radio station Onda Cero, Pique discussed how young Spanish stars are integrated into the national side.

The 29-year-old claimed that times have changed since his teenage years at Old Trafford.

"They adapt very well, it's not like before," said Pique. "When I was 17, 18 years old and tried to make the jump to the first team at Manchester, it was much more difficult, senior players were arseholes.

"Now you make a little joke and it seems to be a crime. I remember when Gerard Deulofeu went into the first team, and he was going to sit at dinner. I removed the chair, he fell and I got a scolding. They did it to us everyday!"

Pique won the Premier League title and Champions League with United, and has gone on to win 23 trophies with the Catalan giants.