No Barcelona offer for Hector, insist Cologne

Cologne sporting director Jorg Schmadtke has stressed Barcelona never tabled an official offer for defender Jonas Hector.

The Germany international's representative had told Cologne that Barcelona were interested, but Schmadtke has made it clear the Spanish champions never made a formal approach.

"There has not been any direct contact with Barcelona over Hector," he was quoted as saying by Kicker.

"I cannot say €18 million is not enough for him, because I never received such an offer.

"I have not spoken with anyone at Barcelona. I know that Barcelona were interested in Hector, but there is nothing more to it.

"His agent told me there was some interest. I told him to speak with Barca and return when things got more concrete. He never returned to me."

Full-back Hector has also been linked with Premier League sides Liverpool and Tottenham.

Barca are now unlikely to step up their own interest in the 26-year-old, having brought in Lucas Digne from Paris Saint-Germain this week to compete with incumbent left-back Jordi Alba.