Report: Montoya asks for Barca exit

Barcelona defender Martin Montoya plans to ask the club to release him during the January transfer window.

The 23-year-old right-back, a product of Barca’s famed La Masia youth academy, has made just one La Liga appearance this term and has dropped down the pecking order at the Camp Nou since Luis Enrique took charge in the summer.

As result, according to Sport, he is working with his representative Juan de Dios Carrasco to find a new club when the market opens and would prefer to move on a permanent deal rather than a loan agreement.

“It’s very difficult but we are speaking to the club about finding a solution in the winter market,” said Carrasco in comments reported by El Confidencial.

“Luis Enrique has already told him he is behind Dani Alves and Douglas, but it now seems he is also behind Adriano.

“My advice to him is to ask for a transfer, not to go out on loan.”

Montoya, who was a permanent fixture in Enrique’s team when he was in charge of Barcelona B, only signed a contract extension last March but now appears surplus to requirements, although it is not the official stance of the club.

The Catalans have received a sanction from FIFA that prevents the signing of players until 2016 and cannot afford to lose any members of their first-team squad. However, Carrasco believes it is a situation that does not benefit the player.

“We are faced with him being loaned out until the end of Luis Enrique’s contract in 2016, but Martin neither wants to go on loan or wait to see whether Enrique renews or not.”

Montoya has been linked with numerous clubs recently, most notably Everton, although everything could hinge on an imminent meeting between his representative and Barca director of football Andoni Zubizarreta.

Tags everton Luis Enrique Montoya
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