Author name: admink

Following the news of Sergio Busquets’ exit at the end of the season, Barcelona naturally have to enter the market for a new midfielder.

Coach Xavi Hernandez wants to bring in a new player who can operate in the pivot position and complement the interior midfielders.

For a while, his ‘wet dream’ has been Real Sociedad starlet Martin Zubimendi. However, Barça have practically ruled out the option due to his hefty €60 million release clause.

This leaves Ilkay Gundogan as a valuable option for Barcelona. And according to Javi Miguel (h/t FCB World), the operation is taking shape, with Xavi finally receiving the green light from Gundogan to become the next player for Barcelona in the new season.

Barcelona were waiting for Gundogan’s approval for Xavi, who has been very picky when it comes to signing a midfielder. He is aware of the fact that Gundogan can operate in the defensive midfield spot, but he wanted a specialist in the position.

Nevertheless, the Gundogan operation could be on, with Barcelona likely to hand him a three-year contract. He will earn less than what he currently does at Manchester City, which poses an issue given the fact that the player was holding out for a higher salary package.

Other top clubs across Europe have taken note of Gundogan’s situation and are likely to pursue him in the coming, given that he is available as a free agent.

But with Barcelona offering a lucrative sporting project, it appears the German international is ready to pack his bags and move to Camp Nou, where he will likely serve as the short-term replacement for Busquets, before the club eventually signs a new midfielder.

Barcelona are serious in their pursuit of a new defensive midfielder ahead of the new season.

Top midfield target Ilkay Gundogan is one option capable of filling in the shoes of the pivot position, but the Blaugranas hope to bring in a player who is an expert in the position and can take over from Sergio Busquets in the long term.

Sofyan Ambrabat is the Catalans’ top target on that front. The Moroccan international was one of the biggest revelations in the 2022 Qatar World Cup and is seen to possess the right balance of physicality and technique.

The Blaugranas‘ fallback option is Guido Rodriguez. Barcelona have informed the Real Betis player about their interest and his entourage are said to be awaiting a green signal at the moment.

According to the latest reports from SPORT, however, Los Verdiblancos will not make Barcelona’s hunt for Rodriguez easy. Earlier in the day, the Seville-based side’s president Angel Haro spoke about the Argentine midfielder’s situation and highlighted that they wished for him to stay.

“Guido is a very important player for us, who is helping us a lot and we want him to continue doing so in the future.”

The administrator then outright denied any contact from Barcelona regarding Rodriguez’s situation, saying,

“We know what is said. Barça has never called us for Guido and we are counting on him.”

The Argentine’s contract with Real Betis runs until the summer of 2024, and there are reports that the player has slowed down talks over a renewal after Barcelona’s interest. Needless to say, the Verdiblancos will find themselves forced to place him on the market in June if the situation persists.

The 29-year-old has played in 29 of Real Betis’ 33 La Liga games this season, scoring one goal in the process. He averages close to 13 defensive actions per game and has been one of the solid pillars in Manuel Pellegrini’s setup.

Barcelona are in the market for some of the established stars in the market this summer, with the list including the likes of Lionel Messi and Ilkay Gundogan.

However, the Catalans are also scouring the market for hidden gems, who can prove to be excellent long-term investments. According to reports relayed by Mundo Deportivo, Arda Guler could be one such option.

As per the report, Barcelona have not withdrawn their interest in Guler, despite the fact that the youngster’s price has risen significantly in recent months. With six goals and four assists for Fenerbahce, the attacking midfielder has made waves in Turkish football.

Guler’s performances have not gone unnoticed, with Barcelona interested in his services. The Blaugrana, though, are facing immense competition from PSG, Arsenal, Napoli and Ajax, among others.

But despite the competition, Barça have maintained their interest in the player. They are confident of their sporting project and would be willing to take the bet on Guler.

The biggest obstacle for Barça would be to incorporate Guler into their current wage structure, which requires restructuring. Given the fact that the club cannot afford to spend €20 million on the talent, they are looking for economic solutions.

One such solution could see Barcelona signing Guler on a loan deal with an option to buy at the end of next season. Despite the previous struggles of Emre Demir, the club are willing to take the bet on yet another Turkish talent.

However, it remains to be seen whether Fenerbahce entertain their proposal, knowing some of the other clubs across Europe would be more than willing to splash the cash for the youngster in the summer.

The coming weeks could prove to be crucial, as far as the future of Arda Guler is concerned.

Barcelona forward Ferran Torres is in a tricky position at the moment. The 23-year-old is not a regular starter under Xavi and his performances overall have not been satisfying enough.

And, as Barcelona continue to find a way to comply with all the financial regulations, it has emerged that the team from Catalonia might cash in on him in the summer. But as Fernando Polo writes for Mundo Deportivo, the winger does not want to leave the club this summer.

In all fairness, this has been Barcelona’s premise of late. The Blaugrana are forced to sell some of their players this summer in order to lower their salary mass and generate income but the reality is, no one wants to leave the team.

As far as Torres is concerned, he has a valid contract until 2027, but his name always pops up when the management talks about balancing the salaries and generating income in order to sign new players in the summer.

This has led to reports that several Premier League sides have begun to monitor his situation. Indeed, Arsenal and Aston Villa are among the clubs interested in signing the former Manchester City star.

Interestingly enough, Aston Villa is where Mateu Alemany will head after parting ways with Barcelona in June.

Now, Torres and his representatives are aware of the fact that he is someone who Barcelona will not hesitate to sell, but that is not really deterring him in any way. He arrived at Spotify Camp Nou on a long-term project and knew he would have tough competition in the team.

At this moment, he is hoping to continue at Barça beyond the ongoing season and his immediate plan is to have a proper pre-season with the team, something that he was unable to do last year.

If the club offer him other options, he will indeed consider, but for now, his desire is to continue.

Even though Barcelona are still trying to sort out their Financial Fair Play issues, they seem to already have their first transfer of the summer in the bag.

Indeed, according to widespread reports, Athletic Club defender Inigo Martinez has agreed to sign for the La Liga leaders on a two-year contract once his current deal with the Basque club expires at the end of the season.

In fact, it is believed that Martinez has already passed his medicals a few weeks ago and all seems set for him to join Barcelona on July 1.

Now, Ferran Correas of SPORT has shed some more light on Martinez’s imminent move to Barça, giving an insight into the contract details of the La Liga veteran as well as his motivations to join the Blaugrana.

As per the report, Martinez will indeed be signing a two-year contract with Barcelona as has been reported previously. Furthermore, Correas reports that the 31-year-old will be on a salary similar to what he currently earns at Athletic Club.

It means that the Spanish international would be earning around €9 million per year (gross). However, he would lose some money as the taxation laws in the Basque Country are much more relaxed. So, his salary after taxes at Barcelona will be lesser than his current one.

Despite that, Martinez has agreed to join the Blaugrana as he desires to win trophies in the final phase of his career. Athletic Club, for their part, were willing to offer him a new deal, but the 31-year-old was fixed to sign for Xavi Hernandez’s side.

So much so that Martinez even agreed to insert a clause in his agreement which would allow him to leave on loan if Barcelona are unable to register him in the summer.

While there may be such a special clause inserted in the deal, the report states that Barça have assured Martinez that his registration will go ahead without any hitches, as they continue to talk with La Liga to address the Financial Fair Play issues.

It is no secret that Barcelona are scouring the market for right-back options to strengthen their squad in the summer. And, as per multiple reports, manager Xavi Hernandez has identified Villarreal ace Juan Foyth as his preferred option.

The 25-year-old was linked with Barcelona last summer as well but a move fell apart after he sustained an injury during the transfer window. But, the Blaugrana have continued to follow Foyth’s progress with the Yellow Submarine, and Xavi remains fixated on the idea of signing him.

A move, though, has been made complicated because Villarreal want Foyth’s €54 million release clause to be paid in full. Xavi, however, is refusing to give up and has asked Barça to make efforts to sign him.

And now, Javi Miguel of AS is reporting that Barcelona are looking into the possibility of offering a player to Villarreal as part of the operation to sign Foyth at a lower cost.

As per the report, the La Liga leaders are ready to offer academy graduate Nico Gonzalez, who is currently on loan at Valencia, to Villarreal as a makeweight in their bid to acquire Foyth’s services.

Nico has had a difficult season away on loan at Valencia due to multiple injuries that have stopped him from getting regular game-time. His future at Barcelona remains unclear given that there is already a lot of competition in the midfield department.

As such, the possibility of him being sold or used in a player-exchange deal was always going to be high. And now, Barcelona wish to offer Nico to Villarreal as part of their operation to land Foyth.

The Catalan giants hope that the inclusion of the midfield prospect in the deal could lower its value by at least €20 million so that they can sign Foyth for a fee close to €30 million or so, which would be feasible for the club.

Despite Villarreal officials’ firm stance, Barcelona believe that the Yellow Submarines’ manager Quique Setien could give the go-ahead to such an operation in the summer.

Barcelona also have other players on their agenda such as Joao Cancelo, Benjamin Pavard, and Diogo Dalot.

However, all of them are seen as complicated purchases and Xavi continues to push for Foyth. Only time will tell whether Nico’s inclusion in the operation helps Barça land the 25-year-old World Cup winner come summer.

Barcelona now have one hand firmly on the La Liga title following their narrow 1-0 win over CA Osasuna at Spotify Camp Nou on Tuesday night.

A late goal from substitute Jordi Alba settled matters in favour of the Blaugrana, taking them 14 points clear of second-placed Real Madrid, who would go on to lose to Real Sociedad later in the night.

Now, Barcelona can be confirmed as the league champions when they take on local rivals Espanyol at the RCDE Stadium in less than two weeks’ time.

While it was not a vintage performance from the Blaugrana on the night, Frenkie de Jong was one of the players who stood out head and shoulder above the rest with his all-round display in midfield. The Dutchman even got the assist for the match winner.

And, speaking after the match, manager Xavi Hernandez hailed De Jong, saying: “We have found the perfect position for Frenkie de Jong. He played a great game today, he’s at an extraordinary level. He has always said he wants to stay.

“Frenkie is an extraordinary player who makes a difference when he is at the base of the midfield with Busquets.”

Xavi also claimed that Barcelona were now one step closer to winning the league title, but lamented the number of chances that his team missed on the night, as he said:

“It’s a very important step, I think we suffered too much. We have missed very clear chances, and seeing the minutes go by… But hey, Jordi Alba’s goal came.

“La Liga is almost won. These six points were very important to us after the defeat in Vallecas… Now we’re waiting for what happens in San Sebastián. These six points are a giant step.”

While the win was a positive, Barcelona lost two players, Raphinha and Gavi, to knocks during the game, with the duo having to be subbed off. Xavi provided an update on their condition, saying:

“Raphinha had a knee problem and at the start of the second half, he said he couldn’t continue. That’s why we accelerated and Ousmane came on. We believe that Raphinha’s thing is just a blow and that Gavi’s is nothing important either.”

The manager also had words of praise for match-winner Alba, who continues to make vital contributions despite not being a regular in the side.

“Alba is being an example for the team. I’m particularly happy because I know it’s a complicated situation because he’s always been a starter and suddenly he’s not,” he said.

“Jordi Alba is an extraordinary passer, he could be a midfielder because he sees the last pass very well, he decides very well in the final third,” he added.

The chat then moved to Ansu Fati, who had come on to replace Gavi in the first half, and the chance he missed late in the game, on which Xavi commented:

“Ansu Fati has been very good, only the goal was missing… In training you see that he scores, but not today.”

“I’ve seen Ansu well, but it doesn’t help that the media say he’s for sale. There are headlines today that he’s for sale for €70 million. If you want to help a player, that doesn’t add up,” he added.

Talking about the exit operations that the club will have to undertake in the summer, Xavi said: “I have to make decisions. I have to decide who will continue and who will not be in the team next season.”

At the same time, he refused to comment on Lionel Messi’s two-week suspension at PSG, saying: “I can’t comment on Messi’s situation with his club. I don’t know the situation.”

Source: BarçaTV+

Ilias Akhomach was supposed to be one of two high-profile Barça Athletic youngsters set to depart the club at the end of the season. He was tipped to join Leeds United in the coming summer after the English club had reached an advanced agreement with the player.

However, it appears Akhomach’s move to Leeds is on the verge of collapse, reports German Bona.

The Diario SPORT journalist suggests Leeds United’s decision to sack Victor Orta and Javi Gracia – two of Ilias’ strongest supporters – will jeopardise his supposed move to Elland Road at the end of the season.

This could be a massive blow for Akhomach, who is regarded as one of the most talented players in the Barcelona youth ranks. Although the youngster has been in the fray for quite some time, he has never been able to make an impact in the senior side.

With that in mind, Akhomach had decided to leave the club in search of a move elsewhere. But with Leeds United deal falling through and a renewal at Barcelona no longer an option, the player has to find other avenues.

Arsenal, AC Milan and Sevilla are believed to be other options for Akhomach as he looks to take the next big step in his career.

Barcelona, though, would not be bothered too much about Akhomach’s future, as they have already landed upon an arguably much bigger talent in the form of Lamine Yamal. The 15-year-old recently became the youngest player to ever represent Barça when he came on as a substitute against Real Betis.

Barcelona have already reached an agreement with Yamal over a professional contract, which the player would be able to sign once he turns 16 this summer. The club, though, will certainly keep tabs on Akhomach’s future, as many of their youth players have gone on to make professional breakthroughs in recent years.

Alex Collado has always been held in high regard within FC Barcelona. But the versatile midfielder has been unable to showcase his quality and potential at the highest level so far in his career.

After enduring a difficult 2021/22 campaign during which he was not registered for the first half and had a loan stint at Granada in the second, Collado was tipped to become a part of Xavi’s plans this season.

But after failing to make an impression in pre-season, he ended up at Elche in the summer transfer window of last year, signing for the minnows on a season-long loan deal.

And it is safe to say that the 24-year-old has not had the best time in his temporary spell at Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero.

Indeed, as we enter the final phase of the season, Collado has played just 14 times in all competitions for Elche, scoring and assisting one goal apiece. Although, it must be noted that he missed three months of action due to injury.

Nevertheless, as per Tomas Andreu of SPORT, Barcelona believe that Collado’s loan spell at Elche has not gone as well as they had hoped. And the La Liga leaders will again look to offload the midfielder in the upcoming summer, either on loan or permanently.

Collado will return to Barça at the end of the season and, in all likelihood, will do the pre-season with the first team under Xavi. However, the plan for the club is to offload him as they continue their efforts to cut costs and reduce their salary mass.

Collado’s contract with Barcelona expires in 2024, so they can get some transfer fee from his sale. It must be noted that 20% of that fee would go to Elche as part of the agreement that the Blaugrana reached with them last summer.

But the club are said to be open to a loan exit for the academy ace too, as long as they are lowering their wage bill. It remains to be seen how things pan out for Collado over the coming months.

Joao Cancelo has been closely associated with a move to Barcelona in recent months. The player was notably linked with a move to Camp Nou in January, but a move did not materialize.

A report from Diario SPORT has offered more details on Barcelona’s January pursuit of Cancelo, suggesting Pep Guardiola had vetoed the defender’s move to Camp Nou.

Although the report does concede the fact that Barcelona’s economic troubles had played a key role in the collapsed move, it claims Barça did reach an agreement with Manchester City over the Portuguese international.

However, Man City manager Guardiola vetoed the move. It was not the first time Guardiola has vetoed a Barcelona move of a Man City player, notably doing so in early 2022, when Raheem Sterling was subjected to a move to Camp Nou.

Guardiola’s opposition led to Sterling joining Chelsea. As for Cancelo, the right-back ended up joining Bayern Munich on a loan deal until the end of the season.

However, the Portuguese international has had a poor start to his life in Bavaria, falling behind in the pecking order. His struggles have led to links to a move elsewhere this summer, with Man City not too keen on retaining his services.

Real Madrid have been mooted as one of the potential destinations, but Barcelona, too, are not throwing in the towel in the pursuit of Cancelo, despite the opposition from Guardiola.

However, it must be noted that Barça have not yet made their minds up about signing a new right-back. They are going to make a definitive decision later in the summer, once they are done with their initial priorities, including the signing of Lionel Messi.