FC Barcelona have been through a lot of different transfer targets and rumors this summer. The Catalan giants finally have a useable budget allocated to their transfer plans, but it seems that it has ignited the interest of the rumor mill as well. However, from the looks of it, Barcelona are facing a lot of difficulties even now.
Initially, there were plans that Barça would pursue the signing of a midfielder this summer. Unfortunately, that desire has not come to fruition and it appears that even the latest midfield target for the club will not be joining Barcelona, despite his own efforts to do so.
However, not too long ago, Barça was also linked to French defensive midfielder N’golo Kante. The 33-year-old Al-Ittihad midfielder, formerly a key player for Chelsea, was one of the low-cost options that Barcelona were reportedly assessing previously.
While that interest has thus far not amounted to anything, the latest update on this transfer operation suggests that Barcelona are the ones stalling it. According to Mundo Deportivo, the entirety of the operation was in Barça’s control, but the arrival of Kante was blocked by Hansi Flick.
The German coach believes that, despite Kante’s undoubted quality, he would like to rely more on the youngsters of the club rather than bring in a more aged alternative. Both Marc Casado and Marc Bernal have been quite impressive recently, and Flick really seems to value them.
Kante, on the other hand, aspires to now return to European football. Despite having spent only a single season in Saudi Arabia, the player wishes to return to the highest level and is looking for a European exit. As proven by his performances in the European Championship, it remains clear that he has the quality to do so.
Unfortunately, it looks unlikely that he will get to do that with Barcelona. With Hansi Flick more attentive towards the team’s youngsters, it appears that the finances of the club are better directed somewhere else at the moment given the preferences of the Barcelona head coach.
