Barcelona president Joan Laporta reveals Blaugrana plan to keep Joao Cancelo & Joao Felix next season - but they won't be permanent transfers

Laporta is confident that both Felix and Cancelo, currently on loan from Atlético de Madrid and Manchester City respectively, will continue to be Barcelona players beyond the current campaign - albeit not as permanent signings. Despite the Blaugrana's desire to secure permanent deals for both players, financial constraints may hinder the club's ability to finalise their signings.

Speaking to Mundo Deportivo, Laporta said: "I think they will continue. I hope that Atletico de Madrid will not put any objection to Joao Felix continuing with us and I think that City will not object either. We have an agent there who is working on the issue, Jorge Mendes, and he knows our intention to continue with the players. What I can't tell you now, because it will depend a lot on the amounts, is whether we are going to sign them or extend the loan. It will surely be an extension of the transfer, already setting a price."

Meanwhile, Laporta was cautious when he was discussing Ansu Fati's future who is struggling for minutes at Brighton.

"Ansu is being followed by Bojan (Krkic)," he said. "You already know that Bojan, apart from dealing with the players who come from the quarry and who are in the first team dynamic but who are not yet making their debut but who do come up to train, also takes care of the players we have on loan.

"To go see them, to talk to them, to see how they are. Fati, Lenglet... There are a series of players that he is following. Ansu had the injury, he has recovered, he has gone through a series of vicissitudes and we will see at the end of the season what is done. In principle, he has to return by contract, but we'll see, we'll see."

Felix and Cancelo are currently with the Portugal squad and are likely to play against Slovenia on Tuesday. After fulfilling their international commitments they will return to Barcelona ahead of their league fixture against Las Palmas on March 30.