Turkish midfielder Arda Turan insists that he plans to stay at FC Barcelona despite having few chances to shine at the Camp Nou. The former Atletico Madrid man joined Barcelona in the summer of last year but was unable to represent the club until January of this year given the club were under a transfer embargo.
Since making his debut, however, Turan hasn't been able to usurp the likes of Ivan Rakitic, Sergio Busquets or Andres Iniesta in the Barcelona midfield. Club manager Luis Enrique – who signed him – hasn't given the Turkish international plenty of chances as well.
But the Premier League target insists that he plans to make it at Barcelona despite the reluctance of being fielded.
"When I felt any doubt, I just thought about my childhood, because Barcelona is my dream club," he said.
"To wear this shirt, to become friends with Andres Iniesta, Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Neymar...I have good reasons to be patient."
"I have been playing 40 to 50 games every season for a long time," he added. "So I spared some time just for myself."
"There were a couple of books I'd been meaning to read, and Luis Enrique sometimes gave me three or four days off to get out and learn the city."
Premier League sides Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City are all said to be interested in signing the 29-year-old and with the three midfielder – Rakitic, Busquets and Iniesta – all on the verge of signing contract extension, a move away from the Nou Camp could be a viable option.
With Barcelona also linked with multiple midfielders, it looks like Turan's decision could be made for him. The likes of Ilkay Gundagon, Paul Pogba and Aaron Ramsey are all interesting the scouts of the Catalans and they seem hell bent on signing a dynamic midfielder who can contribute equally well to defence as attack.
