As the end of the season and the beginning of the summer transfer window approaches, the workload at the offices of FC Barcelona is also increasing. In addition to the player sales and contract renewal operations, the club is also working on bringing up to 6 new players to Camp Nou.
Mundo Deportivo has provided insights on these key operations for the upcoming window, which are discussed below:
Defensive Midfielder:
Sergio Busquets is leaving the club at the end of the season, and the club is working on bringing in another player who can play the pivot role in the team. Several players have been identified by the club to play this role, which includes Joshua Kimmich, Martin Zubimendi, Sofyan Amrabat, Guido Rodriguez, and Ruben Neves.
Messi’s Return:
This operation is perhaps the most interesting one for everyone involved with the club, from the executives and the fans. Currently, the Catalans are awaiting guarantees from La Liga that Messi will be registered and will make an offer only after the Argentine has finished his season at PSG.
The club hopes that the player will be able to don the Blaugrana colors once again, and in addition to his sporting merits, his arrival will provide a much-needed financial injection for the club.
Ilkay Gundogan:
Ilkay Gundogan has been identified as one of the main targets for the club this summer window, but this operation is highly complex and difficult. Arsenal have been reported to be increasing their efforts to convince the midfielder to join the London side, while Manchester City are also now offering him a contract according to the player’s terms.
Right Back:
Reinforcing the right-back position is another major objective for the club this season, and for this purpose, Joao Cancelo is emerging as the favorite candidate. Him being one of the finest players in his position make him an attractive option for the Catalan club.
Other options like Foyth, Frimpong, and Arnau Martinez are looking less likely to come to Barcelona this summer, as they all would require a high transfer fee.
Inigo Martinez:
Inigo Martinez’s transfer to FC Barcelona for the next season has already been finalized, and the only thing remaining in this regard is an official confirmation. He will arrive for free, but his wages will depend on how much space Barcelona have in their wage bill.
Striker:
The club is also looking for a striker to complement Robert Lewandowski in the coming season and is considering Vitor Roque and Aubameyang as their primary candidates. The Brazilian would be a long-term project but would cost around €35 million, which makes his arrival difficult at this window.
Aubameyang would be a short-term solution, but his transfer has been looking less likely in recent weeks.
Yannick Carrasco:
The club is also looking to bolster its attack beyond just bringing Messi, and Carrasco is one of the options the club is considering seriously for a transfer in the summer. The Catalans will try to negotiate a price around the €10 million mark, while Atletico currently values him at €15 million. A player swap could also be an option with Atletico to bring Carrasco to Camp Nou.
Thus, FC Barcelona has a number of operations ongoing to strengthen their squad for the next season. How successfully these operations are completed will determine the club’s sporting success in the coming season.
