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Marc Bartra transfer news: Barcelona defender set for exit as Manchester United, Liverpool and Spurs eye bargain

Bartra looks set to leave the Nou Camp this summer for as little as £9.3m

Jack de Menezes

Thursday 28 April 2016 09:53 BST

Marc Bartra is set to leave Barcelona in the summer (Getty)

Barcelona are willing to let defender Marc Bartra leave the club this season after accepting that he is surplus to requirements at the Nou Camp, with Premier League sides Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham all believed to be in the hunt for the Spaniard.

To make matters ever better for the Premier League trio, Barcelona are reported by Spanish Marca to be willing to accept just €12m [£9.3m] to let him leave in the summer. The 25-year-old is set to sign a contract extension with the current La Liga leaders, but while that would normally suggest a player is committing their future to a club, Bartra’s contract will contain the low-cost release fee that will enable interested parties to speak to him in the summer.

Bartra has made just 24 appearances this season – starting just four matches in La Liga – and has failed to dislodge either Gerard Pique or Javier Mascherano in Luis Enrique’s favoured starting XI. Frenchman Jeremy Mathieu was preferred to Bartra for the Champions League last-16 second-leg victory over Arsenal when Pique was suspended, and Enrique has shown a preference to start Mathieu ahead of Bartra throughout the season if he reshuffles his defence.

His lack of appearances has triggered a clause in his contract though that enables him to leave for a much lower fee than Barcelona will have wanted, much like the departure of Thiago Alcantara when the midfielder left for Bayeern Munich in 2013. Bartra’s failure to play in 60% of Barcelona’s matches this season means that the release clause will activate at the end of the season, and that has alerted the likes of United, Liverpool and Spurs who are already looking to strengthen for next season.

Barcelona could also look to accept an offer for Bartra on the condition that a buy-back clause is inserted into his contract, although the player himself has admitted he will delay any talks over his future until the end of the season.

Who is playing for their Man Utd future?

Show all 10

1/10Who is playing for their Man Utd future?

Who is playing for their Man Utd future?

Michael Carrick

The Old Trafford career of Manchester United’s second longest-serving player is coming to an end. Last year’s decision to hand him a one-year extension was questionable, this year it would be unjustified. It’s time to call it a day.

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Who is playing for their Man Utd future?

One of the quieter disappointments of Louis van Gaal’s tenure. Rojo has rarely, if ever, put in an above-average performance and cost his team too often. A tournament-inspired signing if ever there was one and likely to go out the door with his manager, who has also disappointed after an eye-catching World Cup.

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Who is playing for their Man Utd future?

Memphis Depay

His season has been, to put it in the kindest terms, ‘mercurial’. Brief, perhaps very brief, glimpses at his talent have been outweighed by truly anaemic, gutless performances. His youth should be enough to dissuade the club’s hierarchy from cashing in but Depay will need to show a serious volte-face in his second season to turn his Old Trafford fortunes around.

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Who is playing for their Man Utd future?

Juan Mata

In truth, if Jose Mourinho takes over at Old Trafford as expected, there may be little that the Spaniard can do to convince his new manager that he should be kept on. His fate, in that sense, may be sealed. Nevertheless, Mata can hardly claim to have fully established himself at Old Trafford and still has a number of doubters. A few weeks in his preferred no. 10 role could do him a world of good.

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Who is playing for their Man Utd future?

Marouane Fellaini

Quite easily the most unpopular man at Old Trafford on any given matchday and this season, that’s saying something. He wants to do well, that’s clear, but he simply does not have the requisite technical quality and tries to make up for it by elbowing people. His time’s up.

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Who is playing for their Man Utd future?

Paddy McNair

Alongside Tyler Blackett, McNair provides the stand-out argument against those who uncritically praise Van Gaal’s promotion of youth. Sadly he, nor Blackett, are good enough and should not have been relied upon so much at points during the Dutchman’s first season. In truth, both may have already made their last appearances for United.

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Who is playing for their Man Utd future?

Cameron Borthwick-Jackson

Surprisingly, the young full-back still has not been tied down to a long-term contract, despite his impressive performances since breaking into the side. Talks are understood to have begun but Borthwick-Jackson’s contract expires in June and his future won’t be certain until the dotted line is signed.

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Who is playing for their Man Utd future?

Antonio Valencia

His brilliant 2011/12 campaign established him as a firm favourite among supporters but his surrender of the no. 7 shirt the year after marked him as a player who sometimes struggles with a weight of expectation on his shoulders. Ever since, he’s been a figure on the fringes and only on the odd occasions that he’s fit. Sell up before his contract expires next year.

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Who is playing for their Man Utd future?

Adnan Januzaj

Packed off on loan to Borussia Dortmund, sent back early after starting just three times and just two substitute appearances since his return. It’s all a far cry from having three football associations fight over your international allegiance. Where Januzaj goes next is unclear but he acts a forewarning to the likes of Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford – consistency, not just youthful exuberance, is needed to prosper at United.

Who is playing for their Man Utd future?

Andreas Pereira

The Belgian-born Brazilian has shown his talent at times but, like Januzaj, seems to be another academy product who’s stalling in the reserves while others prosper. He needs with a loan move to gain competitive minutes, perhaps on the continent, or he risks complete stagnation.

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Spurs would likely move for Bartra to provide cover for their current centre-back pairing of Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld, who have developed into the most reliable defensive pairing in the Premier League this season. Bartra can also play at right-back, although the attraction of playing regularly for either Liverpool or United could make the two clubs more appealing if they follow up initial interest in the Spain international.

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