Barcelona go against Hansi Flick wishes and plan to sell player he's desperate to keep

Barcelona are reportedly set to sell a first team player - despite manager Hansi Flick wanting to keep him at the club.

The Spanish giants have had a challenging summer transfer window, starting when they missed out on the signing of winger Nico Williams from Athletic Bilbao.

Barca have completed deals for goalkeeper Joan Garcia from Espanyol and winger Roony Bardghji from FC Copenhagen, as well as the season-long loan signing of Marcus Rashford from Manchester United.

But their hands are tied in some respects due to ongoing financial issues at the club.

Barca have once again had difficulties in registering their new signings to play in domestic competitions due to La Liga restrictions, with Rashford only made eligible to play on the day before their opening weekend win over Mallorca.

Club president Joan Laporta is therefore focusing on player sales in the final week of the window in order to bypass any registration fears.

According to Spanish outlet Sport, Barca will allow midfielder Marc Casado to leave the club, amid interest from La Liga and Premier League sides as well as Ligue 1 giants Marseille.

The 22-year-old missed nearly two months of last season with a knee injury but was a regular starter in La Liga when Flick rotated his squad.

And Sport add that Flick 'highly values' the Barca academy graduate, and that 'his leadership skills, his character and his influence in the locker room are also very much to the coach's liking'.

The report goes on to claim that the German manager wants Casado to be part of his plans this season.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Flick commented: "I spoke with him of course, but I don't think he wants to leave the club. And I also want to have him here, because it will be a tough season. We need every player."

Barcelona travel to take on Levante in La Liga on Saturday evening.