The Camp Nou side have rejected a Brazilian goalkeeper’s request this month
Ronald Koeman has confirmed that goalkeeper Neto has asked to leave the club in the January transfer window.
The 31-year-old joined Barcelona from Valencia in 2019 and has made just 14 appearances since then, appearing nine times this season.
Reports emerged this week that the one-time Brazil international wants to leave Camp Nou and has been linked with a move to Arsenal.
Barca have rejected the bullet stopper’s request, however, saying it is too important to let him go.
Koeman told reporters on Saturday: “It is true that his representative asked the club to leave and we have said no because he is an important goalkeeper for us and we want good coverage. at every stage. “
The Blaugrana have been trying to sign Eric Garcia from Manchester City in recent transfer windows and it was reported that they were close to circulating the contract this month.
But the club is expected to wait until the summer transfer window, when it will be available on free transfer.
Koeman has dismissed suggestions that he is upset with the decision to wait, admitting that they cannot pay to sign him now.
“I read that I’m unhappy. I’m fine, I’m happy, I know very well the boundaries of the club,” he said. “If that’s not possible, it’s not possible. We will continue with what we have.”
Barcelona will compete in the Supercopa de Espana final on Sunday when they take on Athletic Club, who beat Real Madrid in the semi-finals in midweek.
Lionel Messi could lose the case in Seville after taking no part in their last four wins against Real Sociedad and Koeman says he will let the Argentine sentiment decide if he can the decision to play the tournament.
“[On Friday], he trained on his own and today, we’ll see how it starts, “Koeman said.
“He’ll have the last word. He knows his body. We’ll have to wait to see how his niggles develop. We hope he plays. If you have the best [players], you have a better chance of winning, and even more so if you have the best player in the world.
“The team is stronger with Leo in it, thanks to his creativity and efficiency – something we sometimes miss. But if he’s not there, another one [player] We will play and play our game the same without it.
“He has to be 100 percent. This is not the last game of the season, though he has the decision.”