Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Barca duo snub English offers

Barca duo snub English offers

Barcelona duo Thiago Alcantara and Jonathan Dos Santos have rejected overtures from Premier League clubs to sign new deals at Camp Nou.

Thiago, 18, is the son of Brazilian World Cup winner Mazinho and, although born in Italy and raised in Brazil, has represented Spain at youth-team level since moving to Spanish shores in 2004.

The attacking midfielder made his Barca debut towards the end of last season in the 2-1 defeat in Mallorca and has reportedly spurned the chance to join Chelsea.

Meanwhile 19-year-old Dos Santos, younger brother of Tottenham's Giovani and son of former Brazilian professional Zizinho, has been linked with a move to Manchester City but both are set to sign new contracts with Barcelona.

The pair's current deals are set to run out at the end of the season, sparking the interest from Chelsea and City, but Barca sporting director Txiki Beguiristain is confident the youngsters will pen their new contracts after the Fifa Club World Cup in December.

However Mazinho has reportedly stated that his son will only sign if the terms to which they have verbally agreed, thought to be that Thiago will move from Barcelona B to the first-team squad, are included in the written contract.

Dos Santos's plans are thought to be more straightforward with the midfielder, who made his bow for Mexico before making his debut for Barcelona in October, happy to sign now.

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