Barcelona Transfer News: Arda Turan's Agent Confirms January Exit Rumours

Arda Turan's agent has confirmed speculation his client will leave Barcelona in January, citing interest from Spain, Italy and England. He also said there has been no contact with Galatasaray.

As reported by Goal's Allen Ramsey, representative Ahmet Bulut remained vague on where his client may end up, but he's adamant a deal will be made:

"It's not clear right now where he is going but he will leave from Barcelona in January.

"We're talking with three or four teams from Spain, Italy and England. There is no contact with Galatasaray. After 15 days we'll make a final decision.

"There are two options: he will be sold or loaned."

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David Woods of the Daily Star previously reported Barcelona want to use the Turkey international in a swap deal for Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil. Ramsey's report also highlights Liverpool as potential suitors.

Turan has been a massive flop for Barcelona, completing a move to Catalonia from Atletico Madrid in 2015 during the club's transfer ban. The 30-year-old had to wait half a season to make his debut for the Blaugrana and never found his rhythm afterwards, spending most of his time on the bench.

This season, the Turkey international has yet to feature for the team in an official match, and it's clear manager Ernesto Valverde has no plans for him. As reported by Marca in English, the likely final verdict on Turan's time with Barcelona will be damning:

"

At €11,258 per minute, it's fair to say that Arda Turan has been a flop at Barcelona

  https://t.co/qAS7FNgyrs pic.twitter.com/8YtgT9OFat

— MARCA in English (@MARCAinENGLISH) November 15, 2017"

A return to Turkey seemed likely toward the end of the summer, but Turan reportedly blocked a proposed move to Galatasaray himself, per Moises Llorens of AS. Per Llorens, Turan had no interest in leaving and preferred to cash in on the rest of his lucrative contract.

He still has two seasons left on his deal beyond the 2017-18 campaign, but these latest comments from his agent indicate he's eager to leave as soon as possible.

Patrick Smith/Getty Images

One has to wonder whether Turan still has what it takes to be a difference-maker for a top club like Arsenal. His performances for Barcelona have been anything but convincing, and he's fallen well short of expectations on international duty with Turkey as well.

He could rediscover his best form with a change of scenery, but any permanent transfer would come with significant risks. A loan with a clause to make the move permanent would be an ideal solution, although Barcelona may prefer to cut their losses right away.