Ernesto Valverde Insists He is Not Close to Extending Barcelona Deal as Current Terms Near Expiry

Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde says he will have to 'see how things go' before deciding to extend his contract with the La Liga champions, insisting there is a long way to go before any announcement can be made.

Valverde took over in May last year, with Barcelona waltzing to a league and cup double in his first season, and has the option to extend his current deal which expires at the end of the season by a further year.

But despite president Josep Maria Bartomeu saying last week that talks on a new deal for the head coach would take place, Valverde himself was more coy prior to Barca's match against Girona. 

"I have a contract at the moment and I have the option to extend it by a further year," he told ESPN. 

"But you know how things work in football. We will have to see how things go, how the team progresses. It's still September, there's a long way to go. It's still September, so there is still a plenty of time ahead of us for me to get exhausted."

Barcelona have followed up their resounding success from last season with an emphatic start to this campaign, winning six games from six, most recently thrashing PSV 4-0 in their opening Champions League match. 

But despite the victories, Valverde has received some criticism for his side's La Liga performances, with some believing his Barcelona side have not been as entertaining as thos of Luis Enrique or Pep Guardiola. 

"I don't say anything to the critics," Valverde added. 

"Everything seems fine to me. What more can I say? We try to win and try to play well. It's not as easy as people think.

"The demands here and at all the big clubs are always high. This is football. I have to accept those things."