Barcelona boss Luis Enrique has admitted that Thomas Vermaelen is still some way off full fitness.

The Belgian international joined Barca from Arsenal this summer, but has not yet made his debut for the Catalan outfit due to a hamstring injury.

"I don't know what you want to write or what you're looking for. He's been practically a year without playing and is in his recovery process," Inside Spanish Football quotes Enrique as saying.

"He's doing specific work because obviously, his recovery isn't going as well as we expected."

Vermaelen has played for Barcelona B this season, but is understood to have suffered another setback in recent weeks.