Koke will remain at Atletico Madrid in La Liga while Manchester City sign Porto’s Fernando

SPANISH midfield has landed a blow to Barcelona, rejecting overtures to remain at Atletico Madrid, while Manchester City sign Porto’s Fernando.

Spain's Koke, front, controls the ball under a challenge Australia's Matt McKay from during the group B World Cup soccer match between Australia and Spain at the Arena da Baixada in Curitiba, Brazil, Monday, June 23, 2014. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

ATLETICO Madrid says Spain internationals Jorge “Koke” Resureccion and Juanfran Torres have agreed to contract extensions.

The Spanish champion says Koke’s new contract runs until 2019, while Juanfran’s will last until 2018.

Koke, 22, has become the team’s leading playmaker, and is considered one of the leading candidates to take over in Spain’s aging midfield as it looks beyond a disappointing World Cup.

Torres, meanwhile, has consolidated his position as Atletico’s starting right back.

The news is a blow to Barcelona, who had hoped to poach Koke as a long-term replacement for Xavi Hernandez.

Meanwhile in other signing news, FC Porto’s Brazilian-born defensive midfielder Fernando Francisco Reges will play for Manchester City next season after his club agreed a 15-million-euros ($A22.5-million) deal with the Premier League champions.

The 26-year-old was the subject of a bid from City in January that was rejected, but Manuel Pellegrini’s side reopened talks for the player who joined Porto in 2008.

Fernando is not at the World Cup finals having not been called up by his native Brazil.

Earlier this year he was ruled ineligible by world football’s governing body FIFA to play for Portugal, for who is now a naturalised citizen, because he had already played for Brazil during under-20 World Cup qualifiers.

As he now has a Portuguese passport, City no longer require a work permit to sign the midfielder who won four league titles and the Europa League in 2011 with Porto.

Originally published as Koke will remain at Atletico Madrid in La Liga while Manchester City sign Porto’s Fernando