Mauricio Lemos
Mauricio Lemos moved to Las Palmas from Rubin Kazan during the January transfer window Getty

Barcelona have launched a formal bid worth €4m plus add-ons to secure the services of Uruguay centre-back Mauricio Lemos from Union Deportiva Las Palmas, according to Canarias 7. However, the club's president, Miguel Angel Ramirez, has turned down the offer as he considers it "insufficient", and is demanding the Catalans meet the €30m release clause for the highly-rated defender.

The Under-20 international centre-back is considered one of the most promising centre-back to emerge from the prolific Urugayan academy, which in recent years have overseen the emergence of Atletico Madrid duo Diego Godin and Jose Maria Gimenez.

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Lemos, 20, moved to Las Palmas on loan from Rubin Kazan during the January transfer window. Yet, the Canarians opted to activate an option to secure his services on a permanent basis for €2m last month after the defender made an impressive start to life in La Liga, helping them to avoid relegation to the Spanish second division after an impressive second-half of the campaign.

Local publication Canarias7 reports Luis Suarez's compatriot has also attracted the attention of Barcelona as the Catalans have earmarked the signing of a centre-back as a priority in the coming summer transfer window.

Jose Maria Gimenez, PSG star Marquinhos or Athletic Bilbao's Emeric Laporte has thus been linked with a move to Barcelona amid reports the club are ready to part ways with former Arsenal star Thomas Vermaelen and academy product Marc Bartra.

The Local publication claims that the Catalans offer is worth €4m but could rise to €12 with add-hons. Las Palmas only recently shelling out €2m for him and the president of the club Miguel Angel Ramirez, according to the report, has deemed the offer "insufficient" while demanding a €30m buy-out clause for the Uruguayan starlet be also met.

Canarias7, nevertheless, suggest that Las Palmas could still be open to negotiating his departure for the right price should Barcelona launch an improved offer.

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