Ernesto Valverde appealed for Jasper Cillessen to stay at the club after the Dutch goalkeeper admitted he does not know what his future holds.
Cillessen said earlier this summer that he wants to play more than 10 games a season and he looks set to remain the second choice to Marc-Andre ter Stegen at Camp Nou this year.
Each goalkeeper played a half each as Barca were beaten 1-0 by AC Milan on Saturday and Cillessen told reporters after the game “I don’t know” when asked if he will move on this summer.
However, Valverde made it clear he wants him to stay, although he didn’t go as far as making any promises.
“My idea is to have two good goalkeepers, the two we have now, Marc and Jasper,” the Barca coach said in his postmatch news conference. “It’s true that [Cillessen’s] not played as much as Marc, but that’s how being a goalkeeper can be.
“He knows what I think. I don’t think he will be hard work if he stays, we are very happy with his professionalism and his attitude. We hope he stays with us and is happy [here].”
Cillessen played full games against Tottenham and Roma during Barca’s tour of the United States but was withdrawn at the break against Milan at Levi’s Stadium, with Ter Stegen replacing him.
Sarri demands answers from Courtois: The Real Madrid target returns to Stamford Bridge on Monday and his new boss wants to discuss the Belgium goalkeeper’s future
Maurizio Sarri intends to hold face-to-face talks with Thibaut Courtois after his agent urged Chelsea to let the goalkeeper join Real Madrid.
Belgium international Courtois has been on an extended break after helping his country to the World Cup semi-finals, though his future has remained a topic of discussion with his contract up next year.
Courtois’ agent Christophe Henrotay has claimed his client, a former Atletico Madrid loanee, wishes to return to the Spanish capital where his children live; and Sarri will address his future once he returns to the club on Monday.
“I have no reaction on the agent, I am not interested in the agent, I want to hear [from] Courtois,” Sarri said after the Community Shield loss to Manchester City.
“If Courtois says the same to me, [then] I have to speak with my club, of course, because I want only players with a very high level of motivation.
“I don’t have anything to answer to the agent.”
Courtois’ club and international colleague Eden Hazard is another who has been strongly linked with a transfer to Madrid in this window.
Sarri revealed he has already spoken with both Courtois and Hazard recently and is relaxed about their situations.
“I talk (with) them two days ago so I know what they will say to me tomorrow; I’m ready,” Sarri told BT Sport.
Asked whether there would be good news, Sarri replied: “I think more good than bad.”
Ipswich accept £5m bid for Waghorn: Martyn Waghorn is set to join Middlesbrough after Ipswich Town accepted a bid of around £5million for the striker.
Waghorn has been the subject of heavy interest over the summer with Derby County the closest another side have come to signing him.
But Middlesbrough are now understood to be in talks with the striker after a deal with Ipswich was agreed over the weekend.
The 28-year-old is unlikely to be included in Tony Pulis’s side to play Sheffield United on Tuesday night unless he is registered before 12pm on Monday.
The striker scored 16 Championship goals and provided 11 assists last season following his £250,000 move to Ipswich from Rangers.
Sportsmail understands that Ipswich dropped their valuation of Waghorn in order to quickly cover the cost of signing Shrewsbury’s Jon Nolan and Toto Nsiala who are joining the club after a combined bid of £1.5m was accepted for the pair.
The money from the Waghorn deal will also give Ipswich manager Paul Hurst extra funds to go after Accrington striker Kayden Jackson after the League One club valued him at £2.5m.
Hurst is also interested in bringing Cardiff’s Omar Bogle to Portman Road on loan although the Premier League side would prefer to sell the striker after buying him from Wigan for £1m last year. Birmingham have been offered the chance to make an offer for Bogle.
