"There's no chance that Arthur leaves before December"
The Gremio president was clear that Barça will not sign the midfielder this summer
Arthur Melo will stay at Gremio until December. That's what the club's president, Romildo Bolzan Júnior, has claimed amid rumours Barcelona want to do the deal this summer.
"There's no chance that Arthur leaves the club in the coming months because it's already written down, there's a contract signed and that is not a possibility," he said.
"Barcelona have never brought to the table any interest in signing Arthur halfway through the [Brazilian] season.
"The only right that Barça have is an option to buy him, in which case they must do the transaction before July 15."
Gremio's position is in line with Barça's initialy thoughts to bring Arthur to Camp Nou in January of 2019 when the South American season finishes.
Barça have already spent four million euro on Arthur to obtain the option to buy him and the total cost will be 30 million plus nine in add-ons in the event that they do the deal in July -- when they're in the new financial year.
However, he will not join until halfway through the next Spanish season.
