Barcelona star has 'no chance' of joining Atletico Madrid in January - Reports
Gerard Pique is not interested in leaving Barcelona in the January transfer window despite interest from Atletico Madrid, according to Catalonian daily SPORT.
A lot has been said about Pique's life on and off the pitch in recent months. His personal life is in turmoil, with the player currently in the process of finalizing his separation from Shakira.
The defender's professional career is also undergoing turbulence as he struggles for playing time at Barcelona. He has made just two appearances for the Catalans this term, clocking 135 minutes.
Pique finds himself behind Jules Kounde, Eric Garcia, Andreas Christensen and Ronald Araujo in the pecking order. Despite being a loyal servant of the club, he is currently viewed as a fifth-choice centre-back by the Blaugrana.
There are also suggestions that the 35-year-old's relationship with Barcelona manager Xavi is deteriorating. One recent report claimed that the connection between the former teammates is 'completely broken'.
Pique, who has a contract with the La Liga giants until 2024, has thus been linked with a move away from Camp Nou recently. Atletico Madrid are reportedly keen to take advantage of the situation by luring him to the Wanda Metropolitano.
However, the central defender has 'no chance' of joining Los Rojiblancos in the winter, according to the aforementioned source. The player has no interest in joining Barcelona's rivals contrary to claims.
There have been rumors about Atletico Madrid being interested in Piqué, but that move is impossible. He will not leave Barcelona in January.
— SPORT https://t.co/UyO6mkxh6k
Pique is reportedly keen to prove his worth at Camp Nou despite struggling for game time this term. He has no intention of downing tools and is prepared to work towards his place in the team.
The Spain international's efforts and determination could bear fruit in the coming weeks. He could be in line for more playing time in October with Kounde and Araujo sidelined with injuries.
Barcelona return to action this week
The Catalans have not played a match in almost two weeks due to the international break. However, they are scheduled to return to action in the Spanish top flight this weekend.
Xavi's side will lock horns with Mallorca in La Liga in their first match after the break. Having won each of their last five league games, they will be keen to maintain their streak.
The Blaugrana will then take on Serie A giants Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League on October 4. They will be determined to bounce back with a win in Europe after losing to Bayern Munich in their previous match.
It remains to be seen if Pique will be handed a significant amount of playing time in these games. He has not appeared for the team since September 10.