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Barcelona News: Valverde challenges club to sell three players, Arsenal target included
BARCELONA have been instructed by manager Ernesto Valverde to sell three players in January - including a potential Arsenal target.
Barcelona look set to sell Arda Turan in January
Barcelona have enjoyed a 100 per cent start to the La Liga season despite injury problems and a rocky summer transfer window.
Valverde has seen the squad cope with the forced sale of Neymar and recent injuries to Ousmane Dembele and Luis Suarez.
They recently signed Andres Iniesta up to a new contract and Lionel Messi is supposedly close to penning his new deal.
But now the club have been tasked with trimming the squad, with director Pep Segura the man to get the job done.
That is according to Spanish newspaper Sport, who claim Barca are ready to sell Arda Turan, Thomas Vermaelen and Paco Alcacer in January.
While Alcacer has played just three games for Barca this season, Vermaelen hasn’t even got a minute of action.
They will be put on the market in January.
But it is Turan who will supposedly interest Arsenal the most, with the Gunners said to be interested in landing the midfielder.
Arsenal are said to be interested in Barcelona and Turkey midfielder Arda Turan
Barcelona manager Valverde also wants to sell Vermaelen and Alcacer
Sport quote a report from CNN in Turkey that claims Arsenal are tracking Turan’s situation.
The Turkey international, 30, was close to joining Galatasaray in the summer transfer window but a deal fell through.
He could now be snapped up by Arsenal in the New Year, when midfielder Jack Wilshere is free to discuss a free transfer with rival clubs as his contract runs down.