Arda Turan 'Free to Leave' Barcelona, Offers Yet to Come

Arda Turan has reportedly been told by Barcelona he is not in manager Ernesto Valverde's plans and is free to leave the club, and his agent is trying to work out a January departure from the Camp Nou.

However, according to Ozgur Sancar of AS, the Catalans have yet to receive any offers for the Turkish playmaker and their desire to recoup around €10 million (£8.9 million) of the €34 million (£30.4 million) they spent to sign him from Atletico Madrid in 2015 could cause some problems.

Sancar added there had been previous interest from Turan's former club Galatasaray but that the 30-year-old and his family are not keen on a return to the Istanbul, while Cimbom chairman Dursun Ozbek "appears to have cooled his interest" anyway.

Turan has largely flopped at Barca, never managing to nail down a first-team spot and spending most of his time at the club as a fringe player.

He was signed after playing a crucial role in Diego Simeone's Atleti side that broke the Real-Barca hegemony in Spain and won the title in 2013-14.

Turan is a three-time domestic league winner, having won titles with Galatasaray, Atleti and Barca, along with numerous other trophies, including the 2011-12 UEFA Europa League.

He was a star for Atleti and impressed enough to earn his move to Barca, but he has started just 23 times in La Liga for the Blaugrana since making his debut in January 2016.

And under Valverde, he has yet to be given a minute of action—a fairly clear indicator that the manager has no faith in him.

Turan does boast huge experience both at club and international level, with 100 caps for Turkey.

He is a versatile and creative presence in the middle of the park who could yet revive his career at another club.

If all Barca are looking for is €10 million for Turan, there will surely be a number of clubs willing to take a gamble on him in the January transfer window, even if they have not yet come forward.