Jeremy Mathieu
Jeremy Mathieu only made 16 appearances for Barcelona during the 2016-2017 season. Getty

Jeremy Mathieu's future at Barcelona remains uncertain amid contradictory reports linking him with a potential move to Sporting Clube de Portugal.

More from IBTimes UK

A Bola reported on Monday morning (19 June) that the 33-year-old centre-back was expected to undergo a medical in Lisbon in the coming hours ahead of completing a move to the Portuguese giants.

However, Mundo Deportivo is now claiming that Barcelona have categorically denied those reports, adding that even Mathieu's agent is surprised about the news regarding his client.

The Spanish publication says that Sporting have expressed interest in the Frenchman but are yet to make any concrete offer to lure him to the Estadio Jose Alvalade.

One way or another, Mathieu's future at the Nou Camp looks bleak having been identified as one of the main scapegoats of the Catalans' disappointing 2016-2017 campaign.

The former France international made 16 appearances for Luis Enrique's side during the whole campaign but failed to register another minute after the 3-0 defeat to Juventus in the first leg of the Champions League quarter finals.

Mathieu, 33, joined Barcelona from Valencia in the summer of 2014 after the Catalans agreed to meet his €20m (£17.5m, $22,3m) release clause. The Frenchman was expected to fill the huge gap left by the retirement of Carles Puyol but has since failed to justify his price tag.

Ernesto Valverde coached him at Valencia during the 2012-2013 campaign but recent reports claim that the new boss is still likely to part ways with him during the summer transfer window.

Yet, Barcelona may have already found a replacement for the Frenchman, having last week agreed to make Marlon Santos' loan move from Fluminense permanent.

The Catalans planned to sign another centre-back during the summer transfer window but recent reports suggested that the new boss is instead ready to give Marlon a chance to prove himself in the first-team alongside Gerard Pique, Samuel Umtiti and Javier Mascherano.

Barcelona FC