Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
Sevilla warn Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea off Geoffrey Kondogbia
SEVILLA president Jose Maria del Nido is set to disappoint Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City after stating that French midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia is not for sale.
Reports in Spain suggest that Del Nido has reached an agreement with the company that owns half of Kondogbia's rights whereby he won't be allowed to move this summer.
Del Nido said: "He is off the market."
Del Nido reserved special venom for any Spanish clubs plotting a move for Kondogbia, who has also been linked to Real Madrid, saying that any such approach "would be considered an insult".
However, the decision may still be taken out of Del Nido's hands with the Sevilla president accepting that he would still be forced to let Kondogbia depart if anyone meet's the 20-year-old's buy out clause which stands at "€20m (£17m) plus VAT".
Kondogbia has captured the attentions of scouts from across Europe at Sevilla since making the move from Lens last season and impressed in the Spanish club's 3-1 victory over Manchester United in Rio Ferdinand's testimonial match last Friday.
And Kondogbia's development has not escaped the attention of French coach Didier Deschamps who plans to give the player his senior international debut against Belguim on Wednesday.
While Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea are sure to take Del Nido's comments into account, the fact that a buy-out clause remains means that the player could still make a move this summer, despite previously stating he is happy to remain at Sevilla until after next year's World Cup.
Del Nido also took time to briefly comment on Gary Medel's recent transfer to Cardiff, saying that the move "was too good to turn down for both parties" after Cardiff offered double the fee that Sevilla spent on the Chilean when signing him from Boca Juniors in 2011.