Barcelona to bench Yusuf Demir to avoid triggering purchase option

Barcelona are prepared to bench winger Yusuf Demir until February so as to ensure they do not trigger his permanent purchase clause in the winter transfer window.

Demir arrived at Camp Nou on a season-long loan from Rapid Vienna that includes a €10m obligation to buy if he makes 10 appearances for the Blaugrana.

With Barcelona's injury crisis and general lack of ability in the final third, Demir has been used more than those in charge at Camp Nou had expected for this stage in the season. He has made six league outings and turned out three times in the Champions League.

Demir is one appearance away from triggering that option, and according to Sky in Germany, Barcelona will delay handing him that appearance as they do not want his signing to come out of their limited winter budget.

Barcelona's financial woes are no secret but they are still looking to make a splash in the January transfer window, with Manchester City's Ferran Torres their top target, but the Spaniard is expected to cost upwards of £60m.

To get that deal done, Barcelona would obviously need every penny available to them, and it's for that reason that Demir will be temporarily frozen out from the first team.

It's for that reason that Demir remained on the bench for Sunday's 2-2 draw with Osasuna, in which reserve winger Ferran Jutgla was deployed ahead of him.

Demir is expected to return to the squad in February, once the window has closed and the €10m spend would come out of Barcelona's summer budget.

In the meantime, Jutgla will move ahead of Demir in the pecking order alongside Ez Abde, Ousmane Dembele and Philippe Coutinho. Both Ansu Fati and Memphis Depay will do so as well when they return from injuries in the new year.