Barcelona coach Xavi has hinted Sergino Dest's future may lie elsewhere amid reports linking the United States international with a move to Manchester United.
With Aaron Wan-Bissaka out of favour and Diogo Dalot struggling during a torrid start to the Premier League season for United, Erik ten Hag's side have been touted as potential suitors for the right-back.
Dest, who made 21 appearances as Barca finished second in LaLiga last season, was left out of the Blaugrana's squad for an opening-day draw with Rayo Vallecano last week.
Xavi moved natural centre-back Ronald Araujo to the right for that match, and Barcelona were strongly linked with a move for Cesar Azpilicueta before he signed a new two-year contract with Chelsea.
Speaking ahead of Sunday's trip to Real Sociedad, Xavi claimed Barca were well-stocked in Dest's position, insisting: "We were very clear with the planning. We wanted to sign Azpilicueta, but it couldn't be, and now this is the situation.
"There are people in the squad to cover this position. We have Araujo, who was good the other day, Sergi Roberto and even [Jules] Kounde."
Asked specifically about Dest, Xavi simply added: "He already knows what the situation is."
Frenkie de Jong was another Barcelona player linked with a move to Old Trafford, although United's imminent capture of Real Madrid enforcer Casemiro could signal the end of their long-running pursuit of the Netherlands international.
And Xavi, who labelled De Jong an "important player" earlier this month, has backed the classy midfielder to shine should he remain at Camp Nou.
Drawing a comparison between De Jong's playing style and his own, Xavi said: "I see him facing the game. It happens to him like me. I, with my back to the game, was not comfortable.
"Facing the game, he is a spectacular footballer. He divides, he has strength and physical power, arrival, passing... He can be adapted to different positions.
"I see him more on the inside [of the midfield], but he can also be a pivot. I can't imagine him playing on the side."
Barca are looking to maintain their strong record in San Sebastian when they face La Real in their first away match of the new season on Sunday, having gone unbeaten through their last six league trips to Anoeta.
Lukaku among five withdrawals from Belgium squad
Romelu Lukaku has joined four other players in withdrawing from the Belgium squad due to injury ahead of Monday's Nations League finale against Israel.
Belgium sit third in Nations League Group A2 following their 1-0 defeat to Italy on Thursday, a result that ended their hopes of reaching next year's quarter-finals.
They are simply playing to avoid automatic relegation when they face Israel behind closed doors in Hungary, with a draw enough to send the Red Devils through to a play-off against a third-placed finisher from League B.
Napoli striker Lukaku – Belgium's all-time leading scorer with 85 goals in 120 caps – has joined Aston Villa's Amadou Onana, Chelsea's Romeo Lavia, Arthur Theate of Eintracht Frankfurt and Brugge's Maxim De Cuyper in dropping out with unspecified issues.
Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne had already asked not to be included in Domenico Tedesco's party as he works his way back to full fitness after suffering a thigh injury.
Sebastiaan Bornauw, Koni De Winter, Jeremy Doku and Youri Tielemans were also left out of Tedesco's squad due to fitness concerns, while uncapped Coventry City striker Norman Bassette has now been called up as cover.
Haiti secure League A promotion, Gold Cup spot with 8-0 win over Sint Marteen; Grenada, Curacao, Puerto Rico also victorious in League B
Haiti extended their unbeaten run in the Concacaf Nations League as they secured top spot in Group C of League B when they hammered Sint Marteen 8-0 Friday.
That win earned Haiti promotion to League A and, by extension, secured their participation in next year’s Concacaf Gold Cup.
Meanwhile, the race in Group B took a twist as Grenada defeated leaders Saint Lucia, while Curacao earned a victory to jump into the number one spot.
Saint Lucia vs. Grenada
Grenada knocked Saint Lucia out of the top spot in Group B with a 4-0 victory at the Ergilio Hato Stadium in Willemstad, Curacao.
After playing out a goalless first half, Grenada eventually broke the deadlock in the 50th through Jermaine Francis’ header.
Regan Charles-Cook doubled the lead six minutes later with a firm finish from deep inside the 18-yard box.
Trevon Williams added a third in the 74th, before Myles Hippolyte struck a blazing left-footed shot from the edge of the box in the 86th to cap Grenada’s win.
With the victory, Grenada moved to seven points and assured itself at least a third-place finish to avoid relegation. Saint Lucia dropped to second place on nine points, one point behind Curacao, on 10 points.
Saint Martin vs. Curaçao
Curacao registered a 5-0 rout of Saint Martin in the feature game at the Ergilio Hato Stadium in Willemstad.
Jearl Margaritha stole the show by scoring four goals, two in each half, in commanding fashion.
His first came in the 24th as he used good footwork to lose defenders and blast the opener.
He added a second 10 minutes later, when he pulled off an excellent backheel flick to put Curacao 2-0 up at the break.
In the 54th, Margaritha sprinted into the box and ripped a loose ball for his hat trick.
Juninho Bacuna scored a penalty kick in the 78th, before Margaritha finished off his outstanding performance with another tidy finish in the 80th.
With one point separating them, Curacao and Saint Lucia will lock horns in an intriguing clash to determine the group winners on Monday.
Sint Maarten vs. Haiti
A hat-trick from Frantzdy Pierrot and a Duckens Nazon brace laid the platform for Haiti’s 8-0 beating of Sint Maarten at Estadio Centroamericano de Mayagüez in Mayagüez in Puerto Rico.
It was Attys Christopher who fired home as Haiti made the most of a corner kick.
Pierrot struck a double blow in the 14th and 25th, with Markhus Lacroix adding a fourth in between in the 19th.
The onslaught continued in the second half as Haiti tallied three more goals in rapid fashion. Nazon struck in the 49th and 58th as Pierrot completed his hat trick in the 52nd.
Mondy Prunier capped the win with a 67th-minute strike.
Haiti, has now scored 26 goals in five matches. They will play second-placed Puerto Rico, who defeated Aruba 5-1 on Monday.
Puerto Rico remains in the hunt for a Gold Cup preliminary spot as one of the best runners-up.
Sint Maarten has been relegated.
Kane club versus country comments 'just a reminder' to England withdrawals
Harry Kane says his comments on club versus country got more attention than he expected and were "just a reminder" to his team-mates instead of a criticism.
England suffered nine injury withdrawals after Lee Carsley's squad was announced, with Kane seemingly questioning the commitment of those who dropped out, saying "England comes before everything".
Despite their many absences, a young England side recorded a 3-0 win over Greece on Thursday to send them top of their Nations League group.
However, the Three Lions have since seen a 10th withdrawal from the squad, with Ezri Konsa returning to Aston Villa after going off with a hip complaint in that game.
Speaking for the first time since that interview, Kane explained he was keen to preserve the team culture Gareth Southgate fostered by using these international breaks effectively.
"All the players try and give their best whenever they come with England. I know it's a really tough stage of the season," he said in a press conference.
"Whoever is in the squad is the most important thing. Whatever we have here is all we can work with.
"Going forward there are always going to be injuries, it is just whoever is with the squad is ready to make a difference."
On the attention his comments got, Kane added: "I didn't expect it to get as much coverage as it did. The November camp has always been difficult - you're in the heart of a lot of games.
"So, it's just my opinion that it is really important after a major championship, where September, October, November camps are really important in a year ahead to the World Cup.
"These are the camps as well where you build that culture and that togetherness that lead you into a World Cup. It was just a reminder that it's really, really special to play for England."
Kane started the match against Greece on the bench, with Ollie Watkins leading the line in his place. The Villa forward scored seven minutes in, before being replaced by the England captain in the 66th minute.
Interim boss Carsley, who is taking charge of his final game before Thomas Tuchel takes over on January 1, confirmed that Kane would be back in the starting line-up against the Republic of Ireland on Sunday.
"Yes, he is definitely playing," Carsley said.
"With Harry Kane, you always think goals, but he brings a lot more to the squad and the team than that. His leadership skills, he's a good guy, which is really important as well.
"The example he sets to the younger players, he's a crucial part of the England team and also moving forward."
England and Greece are both level on 12 points after five games, but the former have a better head-to-head goal difference, so a win over Ireland would see them promoted back to League A.
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