Juan Cuadrado's agent has categorically rejected claims that Barcelona have been putting pressure on him and the Fiorentina winger to force a move to the Primera Division club.
- Barcelona record record income
Barcelona's interest in the Colombia international has been widely reported, but agent Alessandro Lucci says discussions and negotiations over a proposed move have and will always be conducted fairly.
He stressed that reports Barca want the player to force his way out by refusing to return to the club after the World Cup could not be further from the truth.
"It's part of my way of being that I don't talk about my clients, but seeing the media interest has been so big that it could turn into a tsunami, I feel obliged to intervene and explain how things are, and I hope that this will be my first and last dealing with the media on this subject," Lucci told TMW.
"With Barcelona, as is the case with other clubs, I have been in direct contact for a while now. They have expressed their interest, but as yet there have not been any actual negotiations, be it with Barcelona or with any other club.
"The Catalan club are represented by serious, professional people who, in the conversations we have had, have never -- and I underline 'never' -- expressed that they would like to use such strategies. And then there is something else I would like to clarify.
"With everybody at Fiorentina, my personal and professional relationship, and that of Cuadrado, is extremely good. Should there ever be, in the near future, any major negotiations, they will be analysed and, if necessary, guided to a conclusion in a way that would be satisfying to all the interested parties."
Cuadrado is due to return to Florence next week, when there will be a meeting between the player, his agent and club representatives.
The Viola are keen on keeping hold of Cuadrado -- who has also been linked with Manchester United -- but the club's director of sport, Daniele Prade, told Sky Sport Italia they would not accept less than 50 million euros for him if he were to leave.
He added: "Only then, and I say this without hypocrisy, could we discuss it. We hope that Cuadrado continues playing for us. We have not yet received an official offer for him and we remain in constant contact with the player and his agent, and when he returns on Aug. 4-5, we will talk about it."