FC Barcelona have already signed the German Ilkay Gundogan to strengthen their midfield but are still in the market for another midfielder. Xavi is particularly concerned with the chance-creation abilities of his midfield and wants to add another player who specializes in providing the forward line with killer passes.
One of the foremost targets for Barcelona in this regard is the Manchester City midfielder, Bernardo Silva. However, his signing is extremely difficult and complicated, as he is an important component of the Manchester City squad, and the Catalans would need a significant amount of money to sign him.
Mundo Deportivo reports that in such a scenario, the decision-makers at FC Barcelona have identified Giovani Lo Celso as one of the players who would not cost as much as Bernardo Silva but would significantly improve the club’s chance creation numbers.
The Argentine is not a part of Tottenham’s plans for the next season and also spent the last season on loan at Villareal. He is expected to leave the London side this summer and look for another club.
While Barcelona is one possible destination for Lo Celso, it is not the only one. Reports from Italy suggest that Napoli also started contacting Tottenham to get the player.
The Naples side would be willing to make an offer amounting to around €15 million but want the player to join on loan with the option to purchase him at the end of this loan term. However, such an arrangement does not convince the English side.
Another club that is interested in the Argentine is the La Liga club Real Betis. Lo Celso has already played at Betis during the 2018-19 season and had a highly productive time at the Spanish club.
Xavi likes Lo Celso a lot, and his combative nature and passing quality are two attributes that particularly impress the Barcelona gaffer. He is also more affordable for the Catalans than Bernardo Silva and thus can be a highly appealing target for the club.