Barcelona hopeful Brazil defender Alves will sign new contract

Barcelona are confident Dani Alves will remain at the club beyond the end of the season.

The Brazil international has yet to sign a new deal despite his current contract expiring this summer.

The 31-year-old right-back has been linked with Manchester United and Manchester City in recent months although Paris St Germain remain favourites for his signature.

"Alves is much closer to staying at the club than to leaving," Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu said to Catalan TV station TV3. "We have asked him to stay.

"We are negotiating with his agent because he is an important player, not just now but for many years.

"He is eager to continue to fight and work hard.

"We hope that in the end he will accept and that the club can offer him what he deserves.

"I'd rather not get into the state of negotiations, but Dani wants to remain and Barca wants him to stay.

"When the two sides share a common aim, it's easy to reach an agreement."

Alves has made 42 appearances this season for the Primera Division leaders, including 27 league starts.

The South American, who joined the Catalan outfit in 2008 from Sevilla, has won four Primera Division titles, two Copa del Rey trophies and the Champions League twice.

Barca cannot make any signings until 2016 after being handed a transfer ban for breaching FIFA's rules on the transfer of players aged under 18.