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Villarreal head coach Unai Emery is braced for “unwanted” departures before the transfer window closes amid reports that Juan Foyth is a target for Barcelona.
Barca are said to have turned their attention to right-back Foyth after Cesar Azpilicueta decided to stay at Chelsea.
The Yellow Submarine are reported to have told LaLiga rivals Barca they would have to fork out €42million to take the Argentina international to Camp Nou before the end of the month.
Emery, who signed a five-year deal when he joined Villarreal from Tottenham in June 2021, revealed Foyth is not fit for a Europa Conference League play-off tie against Hajduk Split on Thursday.
Yeremy Pino has been linked with Emery’s former club Arsenal and Emery knows he may lose key men, but says both players are happy at the club.
He said during a press conference on Wednesday: “It is not affecting us. The market closes on August 31 and it does not make much sense, although those who make the decision will see some sense.
“In England they wanted to change the date, but in the end it was detrimental to the English market. The logical thing would be close at the beginning of August. Juan Foyth is not going to be here tomorrow because he has discomfort.
“What can affect us is that there may be unwanted exit movements. What harms the most is something unforeseen, such as a significant clause payment or the player considers an offer very attractive.”
He added: “About these latest rumours that have come out of Yeremy and Foyth, we are testing how the players can be. Foyth is very happy here, grateful to the club and to what he is experiencing here with us.
“He gives me a lot of peace of mind. He is not available. You have to know what the club thinks, which we know, and the player, which we already know. What Barcelona thinks, I don’t know.”
