Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has spoken out on the future of Arda Turan after the player’s agent revealed this week that the Turkish international will be leaving in January.
The 30 year old was reportedly going to be offered to Arsenal as part of Barca’s January bid for Mesut Ozil, but speaking to Turkish publication Fanatik about Arda’s future, Bartomeu revealed that no club has made an offer for the player:
“Arda Turan is one of the important players of our team . Obviously I want him to continue his sports career here, with us. Now he was inactive because of an injury, but he is already in better shape. We will see what happens when he is fully recovered and ready for his coach. We have not received any official offer from Galatasaray or any other club for Arda Turan. The future of Arda Turan is in his hands. It will be him who will ultimately decide his destiny.”
Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde has not picked Arda to play at all this campaign, but as Bartomeu mentions, the Turkish star has been plagued by injuries.
After being named on the bench for the first league game of the season against Real Betis, the midfielder has suffered from back problems and a foot injury, and he remains sidelined.
Still, speculation in the Spanish press does suggest that Valverde does not see Arda as part of his future plans, and is deemed surplus to requirements by the Catalan club.
