Barcelona Unwilling to Lower Asking Price for Jasper Cillessen Amid Transfer Rumours

Barcelona are unwilling to compromise on their €60m asking price for Jasper Cillessen, despite the Dutchman playing second fiddle to Marc-Andre ter Stegen at

Barcelona are unwilling to compromise on their €60m asking price for Jasper Cillessen, despite the Dutchman playing second fiddle to Marc-Andre ter Stegen at the Camp Nou.

Cillessen has made just three appearances this season and it is reported that a number of Premier League and Serie A clubs could be interested in making an offer for him.

Barcelona say goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen will not be allowed to leave the club for less than €60 million (£54m/$68m), according to reports in Spain! pic.twitter.com/JyviImA72m

— GOAL (@goal) December 30, 2018

But Barcelona's asking price - more than four times what they paid Ajax for Cillessen in 2016 - is likely to deter all but the most determined of suitors. Such a price would make him the third most expensive goalkeeper of all time after Chelsea's Kepa Arrizabalaga and Liverpool's Alisson Becker.

A source told AS (via Football Oranje) that Barcelona want to keep Cillessen as backup to Ter Stegen. An experienced Netherlands international, the 29-year-old is a great option to have in reserve, but he may not be content to sit on the bench for much longer.

Since arriving at the club, Cillessen has made 24 appearances for Barca, with only two of those coming in La Liga. Most of the others have been in the Copa del Rey, which Barcelona have won in each of Cillessen's two full seasons.

Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/GettyImages

One of Cillessen's appearances this season came against Tottenham in the Champions League, where he made a string of excellent saves in a 1-1 draw in Catalonia.

"It's a luxury to have Jasper with us," said Ernesto Valverde after the game. "He could quite easily be first choice. Every time he plays, he is outstanding. We are so lucky to have both he and Marc."

Cillessen is under contract until 2021, so unless Barcelona soften their stance it looks like he could continue to be an understudy for a few more years.