Barcelona midfielder has asked to leave, but club unwilling to sanction a transfer

With the deadline day of the January transfer market underway, Barcelona are forecasting a busy period ahead.

The club have already been engrossed in the race to sign Lucas Bergvall, with Tottenham Hotspur emerging as a late entrant.

At the same time, Barcelona are fighting hard not to allow any players to leave the club on deadline day, owing to the lack of depth in the squad.

Oriol Romeu hands in transfer request

In a major development, it appears Oriol Romeu has asked to leave Barcelona.

This has been reported by Gerard Romero, who suggests that the Spaniard is keen on leaving the club after enduring a difficult campaign.

Formerly of La Masia, Romeu returned to Barcelona in the summer, with high hopes of momentarily filling in the shoes of Sergio Busquets.

But the former Girona star has struggled with form and has been constantly linked with a January exit. Besiktas are among the clubs linked with a move for the midfielder.

Barcelona unlikely to sanction a transfer

Romero, though, adds that Barcelona are unlikely to allow Romeu to leave the club on transfer deadline day.

This is hardly surprising as the club are struggling with a lack of depth, especially in the midfield department.

Constant injury woes to Pedri, Gavi and Frenkie de Jong have not helped either. Barcelona, therefore, are not in a position to allow Romeu to leave the club.

However, the former Girona star is certainly in contention to leave the Catalans at the end of the season, especially if his situation and standing in the first team does not improve.