Jordi Alba’s agent has taken a swipe at Barcelona for failing to start talks over a fresh deal for the fullback.

The fullback’s agent claims that they have been waiting for 18 months to begin negotiations with Barcelona over a promised new contract.

The Spain international signed a new five-year deal in 2015, which includes a release clause of €150-million.

His representative, Vicente Fores, says the club vowed to hold talks over a renewal for the 29-year-old when Raul Sanllehi was still in place as director of football.

Sanllehi left for Arsenal last November and Fores claims there has still been no contact from Barca about a new contract.

‘Raul Sanllehi was still at the club when they told us not to worry, that they were going to call us to renew,’ he told Sport. ‘But we are still waiting. It’s been a year and a half now.’

Fores suggested Barca were showing a lack of appreciation for Alba, although he inaccurately claimed his client was named in the 2017 Fifa FifPro World XI and finished the season as the defender with the highest number of assists in Europe.

‘We don’t understand anything, maybe it’s normal for Barca or maybe they’re not happy with the performances of a player included in Fifa’s XI and who is the defender with the most assists in European football,’ he said.

‘There are two years left [on the deal] and we will see what’s going on, but we’re relaxed about it.’

Alba enjoyed an impressive season for Barca as they won the La Liga and Copa del Rey double during Ernesto Valverde’s first season in charge.

The left-back signed from Valencia in 2012 in a €14-million deal.