Barcelona midfielder Carles Alena open to permanent Real Betis move

Barcelona midfielder Carles Alena says he is not closing the door on a possible permanent move to Real Betis, where he has been playing on loan since January.

Alena was frozen out for most of the first half of the season under Ernesto Valverde and left for the Seville-based side before Quique Setien was appointed at Camp Nou.

And although he is a La Masia graduate and Barca fan since he was a boy, the 22-year-old admits his future may lie at Betis rather than the Catalan club.

"It would be crazy to close the door on Betis," he told the club's official radio station.

"I'm very happy [here], I love it. I had my first child here and I'm delighted by how I have been treated by the club and the players.

"I have thought about the future, but only in the matches left (until the end of the season). I don't want to look beyond the match against Sevilla."

The derby will be Betis' next match when LaLiga restarts and after 10 appearances so far, Alena wants to show the fans he can still improve.

"I started quite well," he said. "But I think I can show a better version. I haven't been myself as a footballer. The break has been good to me, to relax my head.

"It's not easy to change places when you're used to somewhere else, to a new system, a new way of playing. I have to give more."