Barcelona president Joan Laporta has once again claimed that he'd love to keep hold of Frenkie de Jong in the wake of intense transfer interest from Manchester United - but he has urged Martin Braithwaite and Samuel Umtiti to find new clubs.
Speculation over De Jong's future has rumbled on for months, with Erik ten Hag keen to reunite with the playmaker who rose to prominence under his guidance at Ajax. However, De Jong has made it clear that he is reluctant to quit the Nou Camp; particularly as United are unable to offer Champions League football.
Barcelona have been plagued by financial issues over the past 18 months, and reports claim that the La Liga giants need to raise funds to register a string of new summer signings. But Laporta is adamant that the club do not have to cash in on De Jong - and has urged him to snub overseas interest.
Speaking on Sunday night, Laporta is quoted by Mundo Deportivo as saying: "[De Jong] is a Barca player, of great quality and we want him to stay. With him and his teammates, we have a very powerful midfield. He has offers but we want him to stay and he wants to stay.”
Laporta's latest comments indicate that United's taxing, long-term pursuit of De Jong could be coming to an abrupt end - even though Barcelona are reportedly threatening the midfielder with legal action in a bid to get the midfielder to reduce his salary.
However, Laporta's stance on Braithwaite and Umtiti was far more blunt. He added: "They have understood that the best thing is to go play for another team. Their contracts have always been respected, but the time has come when they have to take a step forward. This week they have to fix both of them."
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Both Umtiti and Braithwaite are believed to be surplus to requirements at the Nou Camp, with Barcelona keen to offload fringe players in order to help them register their influx of new arrivals.
Braithwaite was jeered by Barcelona fans after a report from Sport claimed that the former Middlesbrough man is refusing to leave the club unless the final two years of his current deal are paid up.
Umtiti is also no longer part of Xavi Hernandez's plans and is set to depart the club - less than seven months after he penned a new deal on reduced terms. The 28-year-old defender has been on the books at Barcelona for six years, but, like Braithwaite, he found himself excluded from the club's pre-season tour of the United States and is now being shipped out.
