Author name: admink

Inter Miami are having their most memorable transfer window ever. After securing the services of Lionel Messi, the MLS outfit confirmed the arrival of another former Barcelona captain and legend, Sergio Busquets, last night.

However, it seems that the club, partly owned by Manchester United legend David Beckham, are not done yet as they are set to press for the signing of yet another Barça icon.

Indeed, we are talking about Jordi Alba, who like Busquets, confirmed his decision to leave the Blaugrana last month.

The 34-year-old left-back announced in May that he will call time on his career at Barcelona despite having a year left on his contract. Ever since, speculations over his future have been doing the rounds with no definite resolution yet.

Inter Miami, for one, have shown a strong interest in Alba and have already held initial talks with the veteran defender over a transfer.

And now, according to MARCA, after completing the signings of Messi and Busquets, Inter Miami are set to intensify talks with Alba so that they can complete the reunion of the three Barcelona legends and close friends.

The motivation for the MLS outfit is to reunite three greats, who have been the best players in their respective positions for decades, when they can still play at a very high level.

Inter Miami, though, are not the only option on Alba’s table. The Spain captain, who recently led the national team to the UEFA Nations League triumph, has interest from Saudi Arabia, Inter Milan, and Atletico Madrid as well.

The seasoned left-back is currently on holiday with his family in Ibiza and is in no hurry to make a decision on his future.

Alba wishes to continue playing at the highest level, so there are some doubts about whether he will accept a proposal from Inter Miami. However, a chance to reunite with his close friends Messi and Busquets will appeal to the 34-year-old.

There are multiple Barcelona players who are facing an uncertain future at the club ahead of the upcoming summer transfer window.

But as the club look to offload their unwanted players, there are other stars in the team who they consider untouchable. One of them is Frenkie de Jong. The Dutchman is coming on the back of an exceptional season that saw him emerge as one of the club’s top performers.

However, according to Florian Plettenberg (h/t iMiaSanMia), de Jong is currently on the radar of Bayern Munich. Their head coach Thomas Tuchel has listed the Barcelona superstar as one of Bayern’s potential targets in the market.

The interest from Bayern is far from concrete at this point and the German champions are just monitoring the midfielder. But these could be viewed as the club’s early steps, as the Bavarians look to reinforce their ranks in the middle of the park.

Bayern are looking to offload Leon Goretzka this summer, as the German international has fallen out of favour. Replacing him with de Jong, whose market value stands at €75 million, appears to be on Tuchel’s mind, though the club are yet to make a move.

Nevertheless, Barcelona are unlikely to consider the sale of de Jong. The Dutchman is one of the most experienced players in the team. And with Sergio Busquets seemingly on the verge of joining Inter Miami, the club require the presence of someone like de Jong in the years to come.

It will be interesting to see if Barcelona consider the possibility of a swap deal involving de Jong and Joshua Kimmich, one of the club’s top targets in the market this summer. Bayern, though, are unlikely to even consider selling the German international, who is considered the fact of their project.

As reported earlier today, Marcelo Brozovic of Inter Milan has jumped up to the top of FC Barcelona’s target list to strengthen the pivot position.

The Blaugrana had other players like Martin Zubimendi and Joshua Kimmich on their radars but understand that a move for them is not feasible. As such, the sports management staff have decided to go after Brozovic, with manager Xavi Hernandez also giving his OK.

Now, SPORT is reporting that Barcelona are already working on signing Brozovic on a permanent transfer and have already begun negotiations with Inter Milan over a move.

It is no secret that Barça have had their eyes since January when talks of a swap deal involving Franck Kessie were doing the rounds. And even though the operation did not come to fruition, the Blaugrana have kept in touch with the midfielder’s entourage.

Brozovic has a very lucrative offer from Saudi Arabian giants Al-Nassr. However, the report states that he is very keen on joining Barcelona as long as an agreement is reached between them and Inter Milan.

It is further stated that Barcelona are offering Inter a fee of €15 million for Brozovic. There is no intention of including Kessie as part of the operation as the club do not want to lose the Ivorian unless it is for a big offer.

Inter Milan also have interest in Eric Garcia, while they have also asked about Ferran Torres. However, Barça are keen to keep all the operations separate and are just looking to negotiate a cash-only deal for Brozovic.

An alternate report from Javi Miguel of AS, however, claims that the option of using Kessie in the deal is not entirely off the table at this point.

Either way, negotiations are progressing at a good pace and there is a lot of optimism at Barcelona about getting their man. But in case they do miss out on him, there are three other cost-effective options lined up as alternatives.

Over the past month or so, there has been a lot of chatter about the future of FC Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie.

The Ivorian arrived at the club only a year ago and endured a difficult debut season where he found regular game-time hard to come by. However, Kessie did showcase quite a few positives in the limited opportunities that came his way.

But, with Barcelona needing to make sales this summer to resolve their Financial Fair Play situation, Kessie’s name has been touted as a possible departee, along with the likes of Ansu Fati and Ferran Torres.

However, according to the latest report from SPORT, Kessie is now considered ‘non-transferable’ by Barcelona, courtesy of incoming sporting director Deco, who values the 26-year-old’s profile a great deal.

The sports department consider that Kessie’s profile is different from the rest of the midfielders on the club’s books and they do not wish to undersell an asset with great value.

Furthermore, Deco sees that the Ivory Coast international is a good footballer with a long contract. And the only way Barcelona would generate a salary margin from his sale would be from a very big offer, which is not forthcoming.

As such, the former midfielder turned director now wants to keep hold of the former AC Milan star as his exit would not solve the club’s FFP problems.

So, as things stand, Kessie, whose market value stands at €25 million, will not be sold by Barcelona nor will he be used in the operation to sign Marcelo Brozovic, with the Catalans offering €15 million cash for the Croatian’s services.

Kessie’s entourage is aware of these new developments and are certain to welcome the move as they were never really keen on facilitating an exit for the midfielder this summer. The 26-year-old has always wanted to stay put at Barcelona and succeed.

So, for now, Kessie appears likely to stay with the La Liga champions and the only way that could change is if an offer in excess of €35 million were to arrive at some stage in the summer.

In a major development, SPORT is reporting that Barcelona have decided to ‘go with everything’ for the signing of Turkish wonderkid Arda Guler, who is also a target for arch-rivals Real Madrid.

The 18-year-old Fenerbahce prodigy enjoyed an impressive 2022/23 campaign, finishing with six goals and seven assists from 35 games across all competitions.

A number of top teams across Europe have taken note of his talents and have shown an interest in signing the Turkish international.

Real Madrid, for one, are said to be keen while earlier reports also suggested that AC Milan were leading the race for Guler’s capture. It had led to speculations that Barcelona would miss out on the signing of the Turkish attacking midfielder.

However, as per the latest update, Barcelona have now decided to go with all their might for the signing of Guler.

The decision is understood to be coming from soon-to-be sporting director Deco, who sees the 18-year-old as a strategic signing for the Catalans and believes that at €17.5 million, his transfer is too good an opportunity to let go of.

Barcelona had been monitoring Guler for quite some time now and are prepared to go after his signing this summer, with Deco confident that the teenager can make a difference for the team in the short and the long term.

A major concern for the La Liga champions heading into the summer is the Financial Fair Play situation. But, the report states that Barcelona are confident they would not have any issues registering Guler should they be able to sign him.

There are some fears that he could find himself in a situation like Pablo Torre last season with minimal game-time. Hence, Barça will meet with Guler’s agent and put forth an option for him to join the club and leave on loan for a top team where he can play regularly.

However, there is absolute confidence that he can become a part of Xavi Hernandez’s first-team setup in the next season itself.

Deco is understood to be determined to sign Guler and Barcelona are optimistic about his capture despite the competition having laid out some groundwork. However, it remains to be seen if they are able to beat Real Madrid and the rest of his suitors.

As reported just a while ago, Ilkay Gundogan has signed his contract with FC Barcelona and will join the La Liga champions on a free transfer, even though an official announcement is yet to arrive.

It is reported that the German international will be signing a two-year contract with an option for an additional twelve months with the Blaugrana, while earning gross wages worth €9 million per year.

Gundogan signed his contract with Barcelona in Munich today after completing his medicals there itself.

Manchester City made strong efforts to try and convince their departing captain to sign a new contract and prolong his stay at the Etihad Stadium.

However, according to a report from journalist Helena Condis, Manchester City’s renewal offer of one year with an option for another twelve months left Gundogan feeling disrespected.

The 32-year-old joined the Cityzens in 2016 from Borussia Dortmund, becoming Pep Guardiola’s first signing at the Etihad.

Since then, he has grown into an icon at Manchester City, winning a bucketload of titles and trophies, including the historic treble this past season.

Gundogan has etched his name in City’s folklore as a top player and captain and it seems that he felt disrespected by the fact that the club were willing to offer him only a one-year contract with an option for another season.

Now, the German international is on his way to Barcelona, where he will add more quality to a midfield department already consisting of top talents like Pedri, Gavi, Frenkie de Jong, and Franck Kessie.

The La Liga champions are bound to be pleased with the transfer business, signing a top player like Gundogan with great experience for free. Having also added Inigo Martinez and Mikayil Faye, Barça will now be hoping to complete the capture of Vitor Roque soon.

Barcelona’s transfer window strategy is picking up heat. Necessitated to act swiftly, the club must carry out an array of exits before successfully integrating new players into the squad.

Shorthanded by the financial implications imposed by La Liga, ensuring the exit door is not left barren is a crucial condition for Barcelona to execute the list of signings they have drawn up.

According to SPORT, the Blaugrana board pays close attention to the exits of players who are unimportant to Xavi, especially those who have just returned from loans and are expensive for the team.

These players are Gustavo Maia, Clement Lenglet, Samuel Umtiti, Sergino Dest, and Collado. The combined cost of the five will exceed €50 million for Barça in the upcoming season.

As such, the La Liga champions are keen to offload them as soon as possible this summer. And, as per the report, three of them – Lenglet, Umtiti, and Collado, could be out of the club by June 30.

Lenglet is reported to be the first departure out of the aforementioned names. The French central defender has returned from Spurs after completing his loan, but the English club is said to be pleased with his performance and are in talks over a permanent transfer, willing to offer €5 million for him.

After that, Umtiti and Collado may be the ones bidding their farewell. Umtiti, in particular, has a high chance of finding a new destination soon, following his resurgence in Leece.

There is interest in him from Saudi Arabia and Lyon. The Frenchman offering resistance regarding a move is improbable considering his upward trajectory since going out on loan.

Collado is the third player that is reported to move on shortly. He is already aware that he is not a member of the first squad, and even his representative has been approached by Las Palmas, Granada, and a few Greek teams.

Barça may grant him a letter of independence while holding back a portion of a future sale. To play for one of these teams, the player must reduce his wage.

In addition to these players, Dest and Gustavo Maia are also on the exit ramp. The young players are unlikely to generate considerable fees, but free up salary margins.

Earlier today, Fabrizio Romano reported that Manchester City and Joao Cancelo are certain to part ways in the summer transfer window. He also added that Barcelona held the strongest interest in the Portuguese right-back as he stares at an exit from the Etihad, although a move would depend on their Financial Fair Play situation.

Building on those claims, SPORT is now reporting that Barcelona are the best-positioned club to sign Cancelo in the upcoming transfer window.

The Blaugrana have been chasing the 29-year-old’s signing since the January transfer window. Efforts were made to sign him on loan in the winter, but the move fell through as Cancelo ended up joining Bayern Munich.

With the Bavarians opting against triggering the €70 million purchase option on him, the right-back is back at Man City, where he has no future following the falling out with manager Pep Guardiola.

Barça, who are maintaining a strong interest in Cancelo, believe that they have the best chances of signing him, as long as a good offer for his permanent signing does not arrive.

Arsenal, for one, had shown an interest in taking the former Juventus ace permanently. However, the report claims that talks between the Gunners and the Cityzens have somewhat stalled of late, leaving the door open for Barça.

The La Liga champions intend to sign Cancelo, whose market value is €60 million, on loan and have conveyed their interest to the Premier League title holders via superagent Jorge Mendes.

They are aware that the Portuguese star’s registration could pose some challenges due to his high wages and the club’s salary limit issues.

However, the defender is prioritising a move to Barcelona and knows that he will have to reduce his salary if he wishes to secure a transfer to Catalonia.

With Barcelona growing desperate in their pursuit of a new pivot midfielder to replace Sergio Busquets, it appears that manager Xavi Hernandez is ready to go to extreme lengths to secure a player for the position.

The Barcelona head coach had been pushing for Martin Zubimendi, but seeing as the signing of the Real Sociedad ace is difficult and with the same holding true for Joshua Kimmich as well, it seems the 43-year-old tactician is prepared to move for alternative targets.

And, according to a report from SPORT, Xavi is now prepared to greenlight a swap deal involving Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie and Inter Milan ace Marcelo Brozovic so that the latter can come in and take up the pivot position for the Catalans.

Brozovic has been on the radars of the La Liga champions for a while now. In fact, a swap deal involving Kessie and the Croatian international was very much on the agenda in the January transfer window. However, the move did not materialise due to multiple reasons.

But, Inter have continued to remain interested in Kessie, who Barcelona are hoping to sell for around €35 million. The Nerazzurri, though, cannot afford to spend that much on his signing and are offering up swap deals, with Brozovic’s name on the table.

And, now, Barcelona boss Xavi is willing to accept such a proposal. The 30-year-old Inter Milan star could be a good short-term solution for the Catalan heavyweights, although there are some concerns within the club’s technical staff over the swap deal.

For starters, Kessie, at 26, is in his prime years whereas Brozovic will be turning 31 in less than six months. Furthermore, given the relaxed tax laws in Italy, the Croatian’s salary is quite high, which could become an issue for the Blaugrana.

Barcelona and Inter Milan have been in contact to discuss possible operations and more conversations are expected to take place in the coming weeks, with the Kessie-Brozovic operation likely to be on the agenda.

However, any move will depend on the Financial Fair Play situation as Barça cannot guarantee Brozovic’s registration until there are some important exits.

Barcelona are yet to make any significant move in the market as we approach the summer transfer window.

After missing out on Lionel Messi, the club are focusing on the pursuit of Ilkay Gundogan. After leading the English champions to a historic treble this season, the Manchester City star has become a wanted prospect in the market.

According to The Athletic, Barcelona have stepped up their pursuit of Gundogan, knowing he might be one of the few top-quality players the club could realistically sign this summer, especially after missing out on Messi.

As per the report, Barça have improved their three-year offer for Gundogan.

The La Liga champions had offered the German a three-year deal worth around €27 million and are now understood to have improved their proposal.

It must be noted that the Catalans are facing stiff competition from Manchester City in the race to sign the German international.

The Premier League giants, after all, are determined to keep hold of Gundogan after the midfielder impressed with his leadership qualities, coupled with his performances.

The German’s performances have not gone unnoticed either, with even Arsenal keen on signing the veteran ahead of the new season. Barcelona, though, have been tracking the midfielder for a long time and may have a shot at signing the player.

But The Athletic adds that there are doubts whether Barcelona’s improved offer will be enough to convince the former Borussia Dortmund star. This is because the Blaugrana are not in a position to guarantee Gundogan’s registration even if the player reaches an agreement with the club.

Reports recently have suggested that Barça can only register four players at the moment, including Ronald Araujo and Gavi – two players who had penned a renewal at Camp Nou last year.

With that in mind, Barcelona must quickly sanction the exit of their unwanted stars if they are to carry forward their plans in the transfer market this summer.