dani alves
Dani Alves has recently linked with a move to China Getty

Dani Alves has warned Barcelona that the club will miss him when he leaves. However, the Brazil international has said his departure from the side who knocked Arsenal out of the Champions League is still far away, despite reports linking him with moves to Manchester United or a club in the Chinese Super League.

Last summer Alves called a press conference to announce he had "one foot, half a body and almost a head" out of Barcelona, as the club looked reluctant to hand him a new deal.

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The Independent, along with several reports in Spain, said United were looking to take advantage of the situation and snap him up as a free agent. However, the saga ended with Alves signing a new contract that keeps him at Barcelona until 2017 – with some suggesting he was just using the threat of leaving to get a pay rise.

However, his future at Barcelona has again come under scrutiny, after reports linked him with a lucrative move to the Far East. Mundo Deportivo reported last month that he had a three-year offer worth €36m (£28.4m $40.6m) on the table from a Chinese outfit.

Marca later claimed Barca had him on the list of players who could be sold to fund new additions to the squad, as Luis Enrique already has Aleix Vidal and the versatile Sergi Roberto as ready-made replacements.

Alves made little effort to diminish that speculation before the game against Arsenal, telling The Guardian he wants to play in the Premier League before hanging his boots up.

"It's special: there's a corner and it's like it's a goal," he said "I've always said that playing in England is something I've got pending. I don't know when but I'd like to play there, to experience in person what I see from the sofa. The way the people live football. It's incredible. Full stadiums, living every moment."

As Alves is already 32, such a move would presumably come sooner rather than later. However, the Barcelona star reacted angrily to questioning from reporters in the aftermath of the 3-1 victory over Arsenal over his future.

Alves said, as quoted by Marca: "I've been hearing the same thing for nine years. I appreciate that you've got to try to stir the market up, sell papers and generate debate and of course, they wouldn't bring [Lionel] Messi into any of this. It's always me. It's part of my life, but I believe that there should be less talking and more work done. I've always said the same: that I'll stay here as long as it is in the club's and my interests. I'll just say that I'll be missed the day I leave".

Alves also hit back at Real Madrid for their reported interest in luring Neymar to the Santiago Bernabeu.

"Real Madrid want everyone," he said. "We're happy at Barca and we don't need to be thinking about those things. They do it to distract us, but I don't think there's any point coming out and defending yourself on these things".

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