Jose Mourinho plans to make it clear David Luiz is going nowhere and will be a Chelsea cornerstone this season, The Mirror reports.

Barcelona are making noises relation to the cult-hero defender, with suggestions of a £45million bid for the Brazil international.

Luiz sat out Chelsea’s win over AC Milan in a pre-season friendly in New Jersey, USA, on Sunday, fuelling more rumours.

But the 26-year-old was rested as a precaution after picking up a minor hamstring injury in training and will be back in harness on Saturday for the final game of the trip - against Roma in Washington.

Mourinho wants to squash any talk of Luiz being surplus to requirements and warn Barca off any further attempts to destabilise the defender.

The Special One believes Luiz is integral to his thoughts for the upcoming campaign, having announced in Malaysia last month that the Brazilian "has to play".

Mourinho has talked up Luiz, who missed the start of pre-season after playing in the Confederations Cup, insisting: "David has come back with us fantastically and we have to use his quality.

"He has big self-confidence and self-esteem, especially when he comes up from the back with the ball.