According to reports from talkSPORT earlier today, Barcelona have issued a hands off warning to potential suitors of defender Marc Bartra.
The 6 foot centre-back is highly rated at the Nou Camp, emerging as a first team regular last season to register 30 appearances in all competitions whilst also picking up five caps for Spain.
But he’s struggled for game time since the appointment of Luis Enrique as Nou Camp boss last summer, going on to make just 11 starts in La Liga and slumping behind the likes of Gerard Pique, Javier Mascherano and Jeremy Mathieu in the pecking order.
Due to a clause in his contract, that’s slashed Bartra’s release clause from £35million to just £8.6million, which has triggered interest from a number of Premier League clubs. As This Is Futbol revealed in May, Liverpool and Tottenham are both believed to be considering summer bids for the 24 year-old, whilst talkSPORT link Manchester City.
But Barcelona International Sporting Director Ariedo Bradia has now insisted the European champions hold no intentions of letting Bartra leave this summer.
“We have no intention of transferring him, therefore, I consider him to be a player who is unavailable,” he recently told AS.
Either way, the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham will have to act quickly. The defender’s agent has confirmed his release clause will rise back up to €30million on July 1st, as reported by The Independent.