Levante are refusing to negotiate the €30m release clause of striker Roger Marti after contact from Barcelona, report Marca.
It is said by the report that the Blaugrana’s sporting director Ramón Planes directly contacted the Valencia-based club in an attempt to negotiate down the clause but with no success.
This was a quickly developing story with El Mundo Deportivo first reporting of Barcelona’s interest in the experienced forward on Thursday.
With 10 goals in 22 La Liga games this campaign, not Spaniard has scored more frequently in the division and he is only surpassed by Lionel Messi, Karim Benzema and Luis Suarez.
The Blaugrana will find out if they are allowed by La Liga to sign a contracted player from another Spanish club this month following a long-term injury for Ousmane Dembele, who will not feature again this campaign.
That followed on from a similar season-ending injury to main striker Luis Suarez, while Abel Ruiz and Carles Perez were both sold by the Catalan giants last month.
