MADRID, April 20 (Reuters) - Barcelona's Argentine striker Javier Saviola has said he is studying offers from other clubs after failing to receive a promised contract renewal from the Spanish champions.
'Everyone knows what the situation is and my priority is to
see what is best for me in the future,' Saviola told a news
conference on Friday.
'I've got some important offers...but out of respect for my
club I'm not going to give names or countries until I leave
Barcelona.'
Earlier this season Barcelona sporting director Txiki
Begiristain said the club planned to offer the 25-year-old an
extension to his contract which ends in June.
'On the one hand the coach (Frank Rijkaard) has given me his
backing, but on the other no one has said anything to me and so
I'm going to look at my options for the future,' said Saviola.
Saviola joined Barcelona from River Plate for $28 million in
2001, but dropped down the pecking order when Rijkaard took
charge of the team in 2003.
He was loaned to Monaco in 2004 and spent last season at
Sevilla before returning to Barcelona for the present campaign.
His chances of regaining a place in the first team suffered
a blow when the club decided to sign Iceland striker Eidur
Gudjohnsen, but injuries to fellow forwards Lionel Messi and
Samuel Eto'o meant that he played an important back-up role for
the Catalans this season.
He has scored seven goals in his team's run to the
semi-finals of the King's Cup and another five in the league.
