Valencia sporting director Miguel Angel Corona has warned interested clubs that rising star Javi Guerra is not for sale.
Manchester United and Newcastle United have been scouting the 20-year-old following his eye-catching start to the new season.
Guerra is the latest in the long line of talents to emerge from the club’s famed Mestalla Academy and is destined for a bright future.
The Spaniard has established himself as a first-team regular this season under Ruben Baraja, making eight appearances in La Liga.
He has bagged three goals and an assist, including the strike in the 3-0 emphatic win over Atletico Madrid.
Although Los Che have lost midfielders Yunus Musah and Carlos Soler in recent years, they have replaced them with equally promising talents such as Guerra and Pepelu.
While fans might fear Guerra could follow suit, Corona has shut down the exit speculations, emphasising that the up-and-coming talent is part of the club’s long-term project.
“We are fully aware that we have a player with enormous potential for the future and the ability to perform at a good level now,” Corona told the Daily Mail.
“That is why the club have decisively moved him up to the first team in recent months. It is not in our plans to sell him to any club.”
Another hurdle for Man Utd and Newcastle is the €100 million release clause in his new contract, which he signed earlier in May.
“Our future plans involve continuing to give him the appropriate condition so that he is able to develop his full potential under Rubén Baraja, become an important player and continue to build a Valencia team of the immediate future around players like him,” Corona added.
“For us, the emergence of Javi Guerra has not been a surprise.”
Valencia do not want to lose Guerra as they are aiming for a top-half finish amid their staggering decline over the past few years.
There is a renewed hope among the Los Che faithful with the current crop of players as Baraja’s side sit ninth in the table with 10 points after eight games.
Guerra has laid the perfect foundation for his breakout season, and the suitors’ list will only grow if he carries on this fine form.
