Barcelona Transfer News: Latest Paul Pogba Rumours, Marc Bartra to Stay

Reported Barcelona target Paul Pogba does not want to leave Juventus this summer, according the Bianconeri's general director Giuseppe Marotta.

As noted by the Daily Mirror (h/t the Daily Telegraph), the Blaugrana are one of four clubs that are reportedly keen on signing the French midfielder. But speaking with Corriere dello Sport (h/t Sky Sports), Marotta has insisted that the 22-year-old sensation is happy with life in Turin, and subsequently, the club has no intention to sell:

"

I reiterate we don't want to sell Pogba and he has said today that he doesn't want to leave.

Pogba is a player that has been requested by several clubs but we have not entered in any negotiation because we consider him strategic to our project. The player is not on the market and will only be put in the market if he says he wants to leave.

"

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It's understandable that a team of Barcelona's immense stature is keen on signing the Frenchman. Pogba possesses all the qualities to go on and become one of the finest midfield players of his generation, and as such, it's only natural that the very best teams on the planet will be interested.

But given their status as Italian champions, the fact that Pogba signed a five-year deal back in late 2014 and the player's apparent willingness to stay with Juventus, it's tough to see the Serie A club being pushed into a sale.

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Indeed, he'd be a tough man to replace for Juventus. Bleacher Report's Matteo Bonetti discussed some potential players who may be up to doing a pretty good job:

Pogba may not seem a natural fit for the quintessential principles Barcelona possess as a football club, but he'd fit seamlessly into manager Luis Enrique's current setup. With Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez leading the line, this Blaugrana side have strayed from their refined, meticulous passing style into an imperfect but irresistibly ferocious attacking lineup.

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That's Pogba's style. He marries intricacy and industry magnificently in the heart of Juve's midfield, bossing matches with his vast array of technical talents as well as his brute physicality. For this version of Barcelona, he'd be a perfect acquisition, and it'll be intriguing to see just how sternly they test the Bianconeri's resolve.

Bartra Going Nowhere

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Ariedo Braida, a member of Barcelona's Football Area Technical Commission, has revealed that centre-back Marc Bartra will not be leaving the club this summer despite reported interest from Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool.

Speaking with FC Inter News (h/t Richard Parry of the London Evening Standard), Braida made his stance on any potential sale abundantly clear: "We have no intention of transferring him, therefore, I consider him to be a player who is unavailable."

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According to Parry's piece, Spurs had made an enquiry about the young defender, who has a £8.7 million buyout clause in his contract until next month. But it seems despite possessing plenty of talented options at the back in Gerard Pique, Javier Mascherano, Jeremy Mathieu and Thomas Vermaelen, the Blaugrana see the La Masia graduate as an important member of the squad.

As noted here by Squawka, Bartra didn't have the best of times when he did feature in La Liga last season:

Indeed, at this juncture, it's tough to see quite where Bartra fits into this Barcelona squad, never mind the first XI. While the Spaniard is undeniably talented, he's well down the pecking order and, despite now being 24 years old, has never quite been able to cement a regular slot in the side.

Sadly for him, that doesn't look likely to change anytime soon. It may be galling for a young man born in Catalonia to give up on his dream of going from La Masia into the Barcelona first team, but staying at the Camp Nou beyond this summer could be at the detriment of his development as a centre-back. If a team like Liverpool or Spurs do come in with an offer, he should consider it carefully.