Barcelona coach Xavi insists there's no plans to sell Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

The former Arsenal captain is a target for Chelsea.

But Xavi made very clear in the press conference before the league opener against Rayo Vallecano he was counting on the veteran.

"I'm counting on him. I like Auba, he can help us on the pitch. He is valuable because of his work rate, he is very humble and I am delighted with him," Xavi said.

Xavi admitted that the market will dictate what eventually happens, but he made clear his strong regard for Aubameyang.

He stressed that he has been very clear to the players he does not count on. "They already know from my mouth that they are not going to participate. Those of us who are here are the ones who are going to compete tomorrow against Rayo."

LaLiga kicks off, but the market will remain open until the end of the month.

"We're still planning and we'll see until 31 August. We'll see if there are departures so that we can bring in new players", concluded the coach.