Villa won’t join Chelsea and Torres is staying put
BARCELONA manager Pep Guardiola has denied suggestions striker David Villa will join Chelsea in January.
The Spain international started last weekend’s 3-1 win over Real Madrid on the substitutes’ bench and was reported to have fallen out with team-mate Lionel Messi earlier this season.
But Guardiola insists the 30-year-old, who signed a four-year deal upon joining Barca from Valencia after the 2010 World Cup, is not for sale.
“I have not spoken to David after the last match in Madrid, but all of the players are in my plans,” he said. “Most of the players that are here now will continue for the rest of this season and the next.”
Guardiola’s hands-off warning rules out the potential for a mooted swap deal involving Villa’s international team-mate Fernando Torres, who has failed to settle at Chelsea since his British record £50m move from Liverpool in January.
Chelsea yesterday denied they were willing to listen to offers of £20m for the 27-year-old who has scored just five goals in 35 appearances for the club in all competitions.
“The story is total nonsense. Fernando is in the long-term plans at Chelsea,” said a club spokesman.