Humble, driven and always smiling, Manuel Agudo Duran, Nolito to us, is your typical La Masia graduate.

Having just turned 29, no-one at Celta Vigo, nor across Spain, will begrudge Nolito a much belated pay-day as Europe's biggest clubs now come calling.

At Barcelona, it's no secret they want him back.

After losing Pedro to Chelsea, Barca coach Luis Enrique identified Nolito as the ideal replacement. Left-sided like Pedro. Hard-working and with a great team ethic, Nolito is a more natural goalscorer than his Spain teammate.

The great irony is that last year, it's understood Nolito rejected a big contract offer from Chelsea to stick with Celta.

"I did lose money when turning it (the Premier League offer) down," recalled Nolito, without naming the club involved. "I decided it wasn't the time to leave Celta.

"Things were going well and I wanted to stay and break into the national team."

That decision paid off, with Nolito, at 28, making a late career debut for Spain. And it was no one-off cap, with the Celta attacker now firmly established in Vicente del Bosque's Euro 2016 plans.

However, it's been his club future which has filled the backpages of the Spanish and English press this season.

A €18 million buyout clause in his contract has now been made public and while Celta have pushed his minders to discuss a revised deal, Nolito has so far refused to budge.

"When there is a buyout clause, nobody can guarantee anything," concedes Miguel Torrecilla, Celta's sporting director.

"No one can prevent that clause being triggered.

"The club prepares for all scenarios and in all positions. If we lose someone, we have alternatives ready."

Toto Berizzo, the Celta coach, was more forthright: "Forget about my contract. I'm worried about Nolito.

"Of course I am! But the talks are underway, I think. I cannot speak for him, of course, but my wish is that he stays - as does the club."

However, the shadow of former coach Luis Enrique looms large over Celta.

It was Enrique who gave Nolito his senior debut with Barcelona B. And, after bouncing between Portugal (with Benfica) and Spain (with Granada), it was Enrique whom convinced Celta to cough up €2.5 million to take him on permanently from Benfica in 2013.

"Luis Enrique has been there for me through good and bad," says Nolito. "He is a person who has always been direct and clear with me, he has always told me the good and bad things.

"He made me watch football differently.

"He'd say I was a good footballer but I had to take care of aspects like food and I had to believe in myself. Also, when I have not been selected or was playing poorly and he'd reach out and talk to me about it.

"He made my career because it was a stage in my life when I was either going up or going down. Luis Enrique was the key."

Barca sports director Robert Fernandez has confirmed Nolito is on their January shopping list and there is a willingness from the board to meet his buyout clause. But there's little chance of Nolito having just the one decision to make.

He may be your typical La Masia graduate, but Nolito is also a classic Arsene Wenger player. He can play wide left, but also through the middle as a No9. Fourteen goals last season, followed the thirteen he struck in his first campaign at Celta. Could he be the 'fox in a box' Arsenal have been searching for?

And Wenger will know all about his stats - thirteen assists last season. But also, in terms of chances created, Nolito boasted 96 opportunities last term, compared with Barcelona star Lionel Messi (95) and Real Madrid's (75). He's a genuine all-round attacking player. Ideal for Barca - but also for the system Wenger employs at Arsenal.

Roberto Martinez, the Everton manager, may also try again for Nolito in January. Tribalfootball.com can reveal Martinez made enquiries with Celta last year after an August friendly. Nolito struck a hat-trick on the day at Goodison Park. Martinez remains a big fan.

While he baulks at Celta's insistence of opening new contract talks, Nolito won't force the issue. He knows his buyout clause - as now does the rest of Europe.

"A player is worth what you pay for him. There are players who are worth a lot of money and clubs paid less for them and there are others that are worth less and clubs paid something a bit silly for them.

"So the driver of all this is the club. No-one has offered any money, so there's nothing else to say."

Which, for Manuel Agudo Duran, is sure to change come January.