Valencia stand firm in Mathieu saga: €20m in cash or no deal

The Mathieu saga goes on with no agreement possible at the moment given Valencia and Barcelona's differing standpoints. 'Los Azulgranas' have officially offered €15m over three years which does not cut the mustard with Valencia president Amadeo Salvo, who wants €20m in cash. "We are not playing games," revealed the club. "If Barcelona offer one euro less, the French player will not leave."

Valencia see the player's tactic of publicly rebelling via a statement made on Thursday night as reinforcement of the club's inflexible stance which offers but one solution. According to MARCA sources, both Salvo and Rufete are convinced that not only is €20m the correct price for Mathieu, but also the amount he and his agents stipulated in the player's contract which was renewed just thirteen months ago. That amount features in the Frenchman's contract as requested by his agents themselves. Amadeo Salvo remembers it all too well as it was one of the first sporting matters to be negotiated following his arrival in the presidential office.

Nuno Espirito Santo has also spoken unequivocally on this matter. For him, taking over a side with Otamendi and Mathieu as a central defensive partnership is a luxury that he will not give up, voluntarily at least.