Martino 'Knows Nothing' Of Bid For Luiz

[Folami David]

Barcelona's new boss Gerardo Martino on Wednesday said he was unaware of a bid for Chelsea and Brazil defender David Luiz, despite swirling rumours in the British press.
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Speaking to reporters in Bangkok after watching his side canter to a 1-7 victory over a young Thai team, he said he had no knowledge of a rumoured bid worth around £35 million for the towering defender, who can also play in a holding midfield role.
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"We are here in Thailand, there is nothing we know about this," he said in a terse reply to a question on the potential for recruiting the Chelsea man.
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Barcelona are known to be in the market for a ball playing central defender as back up to their ageing and increasingly injury-prone captain Carles Puyol.
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Martino turned to the untested Franck Bagnack to partner stalwart Gerard Pique at the heart of the defence against Thailand on Wednesday.
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The Cameroonian youngster, recommended to Barca by his compatriot and former Nou Camp hero Samuel Eto'o, gave away a penalty after getting caught flat- footed once in an otherwise solid if unremarkable 45 minutes against the Thais.
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Martino may be keen on bringing in a more physical and experienced defender to add steal to a defence that was demolished by the strength and pace of Bayern Munich in last year's Champions League semifinal.
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Luiz, who after a shakey start for the London club, has become a dominant – if occasionally eccentric – presence in the Chelsea defence, could fit the bill by bringing both power and a strong passing range to the pitch.

[Shola Sholaz]

David Luiz will definately fit in perfectly well if he ends up going. Barcelona matches his style of play. Chelsea should release him....