Ernesto Valverde Distances Barcelona From Immediate Move for Dinamo Zagreb Star Dani Olmo

?Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde has admitted he believes Dinamo Zagreb is a great player, leaving the door open for a potential move for the Spaniard in the near future.

The La Liga giants are keen on bringing academy graduate Olmo back to Camp Nou, but the club are ?thought to prefer signing him in the summer.

However, recent reports have emerged suggesting ?Barcelona have already lodged a bid for Olmo – something which the player himself ?appeared to confirm – and Valverde was asked about the situation during a recent press conference.

“[Olmo] is a player who has been here, he is a good player but I do not speak about a player who is at another team.” Valverde said (via ?Sport). “I repeat, I recognise that he is a great player. We will see what happens.”

While it is understood that Barcelona would prefer to move for Olmo in the summer, there have been rumours that La Blaugrana have been forced into action earlier than expected to avoid missing out to another side. 

?Manchester City are said to be interested in a €40m move for the midfielder, while a separate report from Sport (via ?Sport Witness) has stated that ?Chelsea have submitted a ‘firm offer’ for Olmo.

Despite rumours of interest from elsewhere, Olmo seemingly has his heart set on a switch to Barcelona.

“I am happy that the rumours have become a concrete proposal and that Barça is rethinking the possibility of bringing me home. I spent six years at La Masia and I was taught values for life,” he said.

“It’s a matter for my representatives. But, if there is an understanding between the clubs, I think the best thing for everyone is to leave Zagreb now. Dinamo would get a good transfer and I would play in one of the biggest teams in the world, in one of the five best leagues.”

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