Barcelona count on 19-year-old talent amid La Liga interest, player wants to succeed at club

With just more than an hour remaining until the transfer market comes to a close, Barcelona appear to be closing in on both Joao Felix and Joao Cancelo.

However, Barça are equally busy on the other end of the spectrum, as the club look to sanction the exit of their existing stars.

Eric Garcia is on the verge of joining Girona in a loan deal, but Barcelona are facing competition to keep hold of another young talent in the form of Marc Casado.

Granada tabled an offer for Casado

According to Santi Ovalle, Grandada had made a formal approach to Barcelona for the services of Casado.

This comes on the back of speculation earlier today, which revealed Granada’s interest in Barcelona’s young midfielder.

A holding midfielder by trade, Casado is primarily known for his defensive acumen and the ability to cover various defensive positions.

The 19-year-old has shown immense potential in youth competitions and made his first-team debut in the Champions League last season.

Barcelona want Casado to stay

Although Ovalle does not specifically mention that Barcelona have rejected the offer from Granada to sign Casado, the club clearly want to keep the player.

Ovalle suggests the Catalans have informed Casado that they count on his services this season, with the youngster being a key part of the Barça Atletic setup and could have a role in Xavi’s plans.

Casado, for his part, is also determined to succeed at Barcelona. The youngster has shown a lot of promise and could earn some prominence in the first team as the season progresses.

Especially if new signing Oriol Romeu struggles to maintain his strong start to the campaign, Casado could be an interesting alternative for Barça in the number six slot.