For the past several months, FC Barcelona have been following Aston Villa’s teenage sensation, Carney Chukwuemeka, as per reports by Mundo Deportivo. The teen has been a part of 14 of Aston Villa’s games in the Premier League last season.

The Catalans view him as a talented footballer who is also versatile, strong, physically dominant and a player with great potential. Xavi has given the go-ahead to sign the teenager if there is a possibility and if it makes financial sense.

Having received the green signal, Jordi Cruyff has been negotiating with Aston Villa to explore the possibility of signing Chukwuemeka. However, at the moment, Barça’s main priority is signing players who can produce right away rather than signings for the future.

The Catalans are also aware that the proceedings for the 18-year-old won’t be simple and Chukwuemeka has bids from the majority of the major European countries.

Indeed, as per new reports by the Mirror, Barcelona have been joined by French champions, Paris Saint-Germain in their hunt for the Englishman. The Qatari-backed French giants are now competing with Barcelona for the 18-year-old’s services.

Steven Gerrard, the manager of the Villans, left Chukwuemeka at home while the team headed to Australia for the first Queensland Champions Cup. With the amount of money that the Parisians have to spend, the signing could be rendered impossible for the Catalans.

Barcelona are still in the driving seat for the signing of the youngster, who is valued at £20 million. However, it is suggested that the Blaugrana do not intend to get stuck in a bidding war for Chukwuemeka due to their tight financial conditions, and will only be looking to sign the player at his market price and nothing more.

It remains to be seen if the Catalans will get their hands on the Aston Villa-man, and if they do actually partake in a bidding war as the club already has loads of young talent waiting in the pipeline for opportunities in the future.

Ever since Toni Freixa lost out to Joan Laporta in the Barcelona presidential election last year, he has not let go of a single opportunity to take a shot at him.

Freixa has been critical of Laporta’s administration at every step, hitting out the current president for the departure of Lionel Messi, the financial situation at the club and various other things.

Less than a month ago, Freixa had sent out a tweet ridiculing Laporta and Barça’s chances of signing the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha and Jules Kounde among others, insinuating that the club were in no position to attract the best of stars.

“Do you know that neither Lewandowski, nor Koundé, nor Raphinha, nor Bernardo Silva will come [to Barcelona]? Do you know?”

However, if this past week has proven anything, Barcelona still remain the biggest pull in the market for stars from across the globe.

Barça kicked things off with the capture of Raphinha from Leeds United. In the process, the Catalan giants beat competition from several clubs like Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur for the Brazilian’s signing.

It was followed by the contract extension of Ousmane Dembele, who accepted the club’s lower salary offer to stay at the club for two more years.

The cherry on top came earlier on Saturday as Barcelona pulled off the signing of Robert Lewandowski from Bayern Munich.

One of the best strikers in the game, the 33-year-old has signed for the Blaugrana, snubbing the likes of Chelsea and PSG, penning a three-year deal, with an option of a fourth.

And if reports are to be believed, the Blaugrana are not very far away from closing the deal to sign Jules Kounde either.

Mateu Alemany, Jordi Cruyff, Laporta and Xavi Hernandez have done a brilliant job in the transfer market so far and in the process, have left Freixa with an egg on his face over the comments he made not so long.

Barcelona drew in the first pre-season friendly, against a rival from the second Spanish Federation, such as Olot. A game without much importance, due to the fact that most of the beginners were missing, but it helped Xavi Hernandez make many positive conclusions, as well as see some young talent in action. Among them are Arnao Casas, Alex Valle, Shadi Riad or Marc Casado, who were part of Juvenile A, who managed to win the Champions Cup just a few weeks ago.

Ilias Achumach, one of La Masia’s greatest jewels, and Mika Marmol or Eternal Eternal, from the subsidiary, can also be seen in action. Though without a doubt, the great news is to see Ansumani Fati on the pitch, who is hoping to leave behind the injuries that have accompanied him in the past two seasons. But the great protagonist of the showdown was the newcomer, Pablo Toure, as he left great detail on his incredible quality and vision for the game.

He gave reasons to justify the bet Joan Laporta made for him, paying five million euros to Racing Santander, the team in which he has fully developed his sporting career so far. He has been a key player with his team, helping them return to the Spanish second division, becoming First RFEF champions. His performances in the third category of Spanish football helped attract the interest of Real Madrid or Sevilla, among others.

But he ended up choosing to go down at Camp Nou, where he would initially start with the subsidiary. However, it is not excluded that he will end up staying in the first team, as happened to Pedri Gonzalez. Because he managed to stun in his first weeks as a Barcelona player, and Xavi is the first to be impressed. He really excelled in training, he was the best in the team against Olot.

The former Al Sadd coach believes he’s found a new diamond in the rough, and it didn’t take him long to compare him to Andres Iniesta in his fantasy plays. Although he must continue to show that level in the upcoming matches, he is playing if he wants to stay in the first team.

Aside from Toure, who is already considered by many to be one of Barcelona’s long-running great discoveries, there has also been time to see Frank Casey in action. The African player was introduced only a few days ago, and was already able to get his first minutes on orders from Xavi.

Although he obviously lacked competitive rhythm, like most of his teammates, he left very good feelings in midfield.

Spanish press reports revealed, today, Saturday, that Barcelona is planning to force one of the team’s strikers to leave during the current summer transfer period. This is so that the Catalan giant does not fall under the Financial Fair Play Act.

Barca officials are looking to sell some players during the current period after completing the contract with 4 deals, led by Rafinia Diaz and Andreas Christensen. This was done in conjunction with a severe financial crisis that began since the outbreak of the new Corona virus, Covid 19.

Barcelona plans to force its striker to leave

And the Barcelona administration, headed by Joan Laporta, chose the Dutch international star, Memphis Depay, because after the renewal with the French winger Osman Dembele and the contract with Rafinia Diaz. With the approaching settlement of the Robert Lewandowski deal. Depay no longer has any place in the Barcelona squad under coach Xavi Hernandez.

Reports confirm that it will not be easy, as Depay will not accept the sale in this way from the management. He will not be satisfied with leaving before the end of his contract because he has made a great effort to move to Barcelona. And he may ask to leave for free, which the Catalan club officials may not agree to at all.

Memphis Depay has not yet looked for any new team to move to in the past weeks. But all Barcelona deals went perfectly, so the club’s management became headed by Joan Laporte. You think the worst case scenario is that he won’t be able to score deals unless a few old players leave.

As a result of all this, Barcelona is asking for an amount of at least 20 million euros to sell it, which is unacceptable for the player or his agents, especially since there is strong interest from the Italian clubs Juventus and Roma, as well as Tottenham Hotspur. Which is the most interested in the inclusion of the Dutch striker.

It seems that the issue of the departure or survival of the Dutch international star Frenkie de Jong, the center of the Barcelona team, will not be resolved quickly or smoothly.

Barcelona’s board of directors, headed by Joan Laporta, continues to put pressure on Frenkie de Jong. With the aim of forcing him to accept Manchester United’s offer, to leave in the current summer Mercato.

Barcelona surprises De Jong with a strange decision

There has been constant communication from the Manchester United management over the past few days with the management of Barcelona. Indeed, an agreement was reached with the Blaugrana, to settle the contract with De Jong for 85 million euros.

It was decided that this amount would include several variables, but the Dutch international still wants to continue playing at the Camp Nou, and has doubts about a move to Old Trafford.

💙❤️ pic.twitter.com/4uGgHacYQO

— نادي برشلونة (@fcbarcelona_ara) July 15, 2022

According to the Spanish newspaper, Mundo Deportivo, the Barcelona administration is considering the option of excluding Frenkie de Jong from the team’s list that will play friendly matches in the United States of America.

The Barcelona preparatory tour in America is scheduled to begin tomorrow, Saturday. The Barca administration believes that the exclusion of De Jong will speed up the process of selling the player.

For his part, Barcelona need to sell Frenkie de Jong to free up space in the wage bill. Which will allow the registration of new deals concluded by the club this summer.

In Barcelona they have a very serious problem with Samuel Umtiti. Because it seems that they will not be able to find a solution and a way for it. Although he agreed a few months ago to cut his salary, and renew his contract until 2026, making it easier to find a buyer, the truth is that it’s still a really complicated task. Because no team has shown interest in taking it.

Xavi Hernandez has made it clear that he does not trust the France international, and that he does not even rely on him, even if he has a secondary role. As for the central debut, he already has Eric Garcia, Andreas Christensen, Gerard Pique and Ronald Araujo, and he hopes to be joined by another new signing, with Jules Conde being the choice that most convinces him. Therefore, there is no space in “23”, and Matteo Alemani was responsible for providing it to various groups.

But everyone has given the same answer so far, and it has been negative. Nobody cares about receiving a football player in deterioration, who has accumulated multiple injuries in recent seasons, some of them very serious. However, there was a team that was willing to give the Russian World Cup champion a chance, intending to take him on loan. It was Rennes Stadium.

Coach Bruno Genesio knows Umtiti perfectly after he coached him at Olympique Lyonnais, and thought he could be an interesting addition, if he can bring back a good version of the 28-year-old defender. The player, for his part, seemed utterly enamored with the possibility of a return to Ligue 1, six years after his departure. But everything ended up falling apart at the last minute.

Which is that “Samuel” was unable to pass the medical examination, apparently because he has not yet recovered from his recent knee injury, which prevented him from descending for several months.

If this problem is not resolved, then Umtiti will not be able to go anywhere
At Barcelona, ​​they will have to identify the problem that Umtiti is now drawn into, because if they can’t find a solution, they won’t be able to leave this summer. No team would risk welcoming a crack in their ranks who couldn’t pass the medical, it shows.

So they had to wait for him to fully recover, even though the physiotherapists claimed he was already. And maybe we’ll have to wait until January…

With Barcelona now closing the signing of Raphinha and renewing Ousmane Dembele, manager Xavi Hernandez is now asking the club to make a concerted push to bring Robert Lewandowski in.

This claim comes from Diario AS, with the report stating that the manager is pressuring the Barça board to sign the 33-year-old Bayern Munich superstar as soon as possible.

And it is then claimed that club president Joan Laporta has promised Xavi that the operation to sign Lewandowski is ‘well underway’ with there expected to be some positive news in the coming days.

These claims come despite reports suggesting that Bayern Munich had once again asserted that Lewandowski will not be sold.

AS states that a deal could be concluded for a fee of around €45 million plus variables even though Bayern Munich are said to be holding out for €50 million. The Poland captain has already agreed a three-year deal worth €9 million per season with Barcelona.

The report goes on to suggest that the deal could be finalised in the coming days, which could make it possible for Lewandowski to attend Barça’s first friendly fixture on their United States tour against Inter Miami on July 20.

If so, it would give the centre-forward time to train with his new teammates before Barcelona lock horns with arch-rivals Real Madrid in a friendly encounter in Las Vegas on July 24. While it would be a challenge for him to play in that game, the report states that such a scenario is plausible.

Lewandowski has not hidden the fact that he is intent on joining the Blaugrana this summer. But Bayern Munich have been the biggest roadblock in the deal being completed. Whether there is any change in the coming days, as the report suggests, remains to be seen.

If Barça are able to close the deal for the former Borussia Dortmund hitman, they would have terrifying depth in the attacking unit, with the likes of Dembele, Raphinha, Ansu Fati, Ferran Torres and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

However, it could also spell the end of Memphis Depay, who could be deemed surplus to requirements if the Catalans bring in Lewandowski.
The post Barcelona president assures Lewandowski deal on track, could be available for Real Madrid friendly appeared first on Barca Universal.

After a long-running soap opera that went on for months together, Ousmane Dembele has finally signed a new contract with Barcelona.

The 25-year-old had become a free agent when his previous deal expired on June 30. But, with no major European club taking an interest in signing him on a Bosman deal, the French ace was left with little choice but to renew with the Blaugrana.

Dembele has signed a two-year contract with Barcelona, which will run until the summer of 2024.

Reports in France suggest that he will be pocketing an €11 million per year net salary, but Spanish sources claim that those figures are inaccurate, with the winger supposedly taking a 40% pay cut.

Nevertheless, Dembele is a Barcelona player yet again after close to two weeks of being a free agent. Speaking at his presentation after signing the contract, the forward said:

“I feel very happy about the renewal. Barça has been my dream club since I was little. I really want the season to start and give it my all.”

Talking about his time at Camp Nou, Dembele added: “The first years when I arrived here were difficult for me with all the injuries, but now I now feel part of the team and the city and I will continue to defend the crest.”

Dembele admitted that he took his time for the renewal, but insisted that staying at Camp Nou had always been his priority.

“My renewal has always been a priority for me. I told the boss and coach about that. It took a long time, but now everyone is happy. I’m looking forward to starting the season and helping the team. Barça have to compete for La Liga and the Champions League,” he said.

“I will work hard with the coach. Hopefully this is the year for me and Barça,” he added.

pic.twitter.com/eoITtaEs68— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) July 14, 2022

President Joan Laporta also spoke on the occasion, stating his admiration for Dembele, as he said: “I admire Dembélé as a player and person. It is an important day for the club. Ousmane is a very good player and we all know that. It is difficult to compare him with anyone on the football pitch.”

The Barcelona supremo thanked the Frenchman’s agent Moussa Sissoko and everyone else involved who made the contract extension possible.

“I’d like to thank everyone who made this deal possible including Dembélé’s agent, Sissoko,” Laporta said.

Source: BarçaTV+
The post Ousmane Dembele and Joan Laporta speak after the Frenchman re-signs with Barcelona appeared first on Barca Universal.

A recent report from Diario AS has offered an update on the future of Memphis Depay. The former Manchester United attacker is one of many players who are facing an uncertain future at the club.

As such, he is yet to register himself for Barcelona’s upcoming pre-season tour to the United States. The Dutchman is currently waiting for the club to hand him a definitive decision over his role and future at Camp Nou before he can commit himself for the season ahead.

Depay joined the Barcelona camp last summer. He was tasked with the unenviable job of replacing Lionel Messi. While not many expected him to actually fill the Argentine’s boots, the attacker was still regarded as a crucial piece of Ronald Koeman’s attacking setup.

The Dutchman did not disappoint either, enjoying a promising start to his career at Barça. However, an unfortunate injury, coupled with the January additions of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Ferran Torres and Adama Traore, along with the sacking of Koeman, gravely affected his role in the first team.

During the second half of the season, Depay failed to establish himself as a first-team regular. And his role in the team could dwindle further following the capture of Raphinha.

Barcelona have also extended the contract of Ousmane Dembele. The collective presence of Dembele and Raphinha in the Barça attack next season, coupled with the potential addition of Robert Lewandowski means Depay is not included in Xavi’s plans.

And, as per the report, the attacker has been informed the same and will be allowed to leave the club this summer.

The Catalans are hoping to include the Dutchman in the deal to sign Jules Kounde, knowing Sevilla might be open to an exchange of players that may help the Blaugrana lower the cost of the operation.

However, if Depay is not interested in joining Sevilla, Barça are looking for a fee of around €20 million. The 28-year-old only has one year left on his contract, however, so it will not be surprising to see the club settling for less.

Manchester United chiefs have left Barcelona without concluding a deal to sign midfielder Frenkie de Jong – leaving them thoroughly frustrated by the whole ordeal.

United CEO Richard Arnold and football director John Murtough jetted to the Catalan capital on Monday to ramp up talks to sign the Dutchman. De Jong had returned to training at Barca’s facilities earlier in the day as the club attempted to negotiate his exit.

United already had an initial transfer fee agreed with Barcelona for the value of £56.2million with reports from Spain claiming that the two clubs had also shaken hands on a total package worth £72million.

Arnold and Murtough had led a United delegation who dined with their Barcelona counterparts – club president Joan Laporta, alongside the club’s transfer officials Mateu Alemany, Jordi Cruyff and Rafa Yuste – at the Via Veneto restaurant on Thursday of last week in the Catalan capital. The United chiefs then returned to the city on Monday to continue talks over food at the Triton restaurant, near Camp Nou.

Despite an agreement being reached between the clubs over the pricing and structure of a deal, the transfer cannot yet be concluded as De Jong has yet to give his consent to a move. Arnold and Murtough left the city on Wednesday empty-handed.

New United boss Erik ten Hag held a phone call to convince the player that he should join his project at Old Trafford. De Jong, 25, was informed that he would be the ‘conductor of the orchestra’ and would be an undisputed starter under Ten Hag – a similar role to the one he enjoyed so much in Amsterdam.

Yet conversely, there have been reports that De Jong has a list of 10 reasons for not joining United and former Blaugrana boss Ronald Koeman insists that De Jong has no intention of leaving Barca.

De Jong is one of the highest earners at Barcelona and he is also owed a series of payments that through amortizations and other clauses that are part of his deal. The problem for the club is that they are currently unable to process such payments, complicating the player’s future.

It remains unclear if the player’s move is being held up over these payments or if he does not intend to complete a transfer to United. However, the English club is confident their patience over negotiations would pay off as Barca privately have been open to his departure despite their stance of insisting he is not for sale.