Barcelona
€45m-rated attacker agrees to join Barcelona, announcement expected next week – report
Netherlands international Memphis Depay is set to complete his long-awaited move to Barcelona next week, Spanish outlet Sport claims. The Dutchman has been a long-term target for the Blaugrana, and he was fancied heavily to join them last summer before the move broke down. He will be a free agent when his contract with Lyon expires next month, and it is reported that the Blaugrana are set to land his signature. Georginio Wijnaldum recently made a surprise U-turn as he turned down advances from the Blaugrana to join Paris Saint-Germain for a higher salary. There have been fears that Depay could follow suit with interest from Juventus, but Sport claims that the Blaugrana have now sealed the deal. Depay’s contract offer has been reduced from three to two years with a higher salary than initia...
Manchester United open contract talks with Paul Pogba
Manchester United have contacted Paul Pogba’s representatives over a new contract, reports Sky Sports. Pogba returned to Man Utd in 2016 for a then-world record fee from Juventus. Since then, he has played 199 times in all competitions, scoring 38 goals. Pogba’s time at Man Utd has been mixed The Frenchman has been a divisive figure since his reunion with the Red Devils. Inconsistent performances, coupled with ambiguous hints surrounding his future, have seen him become unpopular among some sections of the Old Trafford crowd. Nonetheless, there is no denying his incredible talent. And, with just a year left on his current contract, it would be a nightmare for the club to lose a player like him on a free transfer. Sky Sports state that Man Utd have now opened negotiations with Pogba over a ...
Barcelona interested in signing €30m Liverpool target with 20 goal contributions last season – report
Barcelona are interested in signing Roma midfielder Lorenzo Pellegrini but face competition from Liverpool and Atalanta, Mundo Deportivo claims. The Catalan giants were in advanced negotiations to sign Georginio Wijnaldum on a free transfer, but Paris Saint-Germain have since hijacked the deal. The Blaugrana are now looking into alternative options, and it is reported that they are seriously interested in signing Roma captain Pellegrini. Pellegrini has a €30 million release clause in his contract, but he could be sold for less as he is approaching the final year of his deal. Liverpool are also keen on signing Pellegrini as a replacement for Wijnaldum, but the Blaugrana’s main competition could be Atalanta. The Serie A outfit reportedly have the first option to land Pellegrini for arou...
Manchester City make their transfer decision on £36m-rated star amid Barcelona interest – report
Manchester City have no plans to sell midfielder Ilkay Gundogan amid interest from Barcelona, Sky Sports claims. It was recently reported that Gundogan’s uncle and agent met with Blaugrana’s officials to discuss a possible summer move. Furthermore, it was said that the German international would be open to the prospect of joining the Catalan giants. However, the Cityzens have no intention to sell him despite the fact that there has been no progress in contract talks. Sportslens view: Gundogan had the best-ever return of his career last season, registering 17 goals and five assists from 46 appearances in all competitions. He came up with vital goals in the big games for the Cityzens and ended up as their top-scorer for the campaign, much to the surprise of many. After such a standout season...
Inter Miami and the story behind Lionel Messi’s 10-year contract offer from Barcelona
Lionel Messi’s future with Barcelona has been a regular talking point and the Argentine has yet to commit to a new contract beyond June. There have been suggestions that the 33-year-old could be handed a 10-year-old contract which could be split into three phases. The Blaugrana are aiming to extend his stay for two years before he makes the switch to Major League Soccer for a couple of seasons. Messi would act as their ambassador during his time in MLS before returning to the club for a role in the hierarchy for the next six years. Nothing has been agreed as of yet, but Inter Miami’s managing owner Jorge Mas has confirmed that they are looking to sign Messi as part of the deal. He told Miami Herald: “David and I have been working really hard, we have aspirations of bringing the best player...
Inter Miami owner ‘optimistic’ that Leo Messi will join in the future
Inter Miami owner Jorge Mas believes his side will be able to land Barcelona star Lionel Messi in the future. Messi’s contract with Barcelona will expire at the end of this month and the club is desperately trying to tie down the 33-year-old to a new deal. Various reports have stated that Messi’s potential Barca extension would include a provision for him to play two more seasons in Spain, then move to Inter Miami in 2023. Mas confirmed that he and Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham have been involved in talks to bring Messi to Florida. “David and I have been working really hard, we have aspirations of bringing the best players here and Leo Messi is a generational player, arguably the best player of all time,” Mas told the Miami Herald. “I am optimistic Messi will play in an Inter Miami sh...
Barcelona have held talks with agent of £36m-rated German, player would favour move – report
Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan would be open to joining Barcelona this summer, El Chiringuito reporter Jose Alvarez claims. The Blaugrana have been busy in the transfer market since the end of the season, and they have already announced the arrival of three new players. Among them are Sergio Aguero and Eric Garcia, who will officially join on free transfers when their City contracts expire at the end of the month. The Blaugrana have continued to be linked with several City players including Aymeric Laporte and Raheem Sterling, and Gundogan is the latest on their radar. It is reported that the club’s officials recently held talks with the uncle and agent of the midfielder over a possible transfer in the upcoming transfer window. The German international is said to favour a move t...
Barcelona midfielder open to staying at club to fight for his place next season
Miralem Pjanic has refused to rule out the possibility of staying at Barcelona next season while speaking to Marca, despite experiencing a disastrous first year at the club. The Bosnia & Herzegovina international left Juventus for Camp Nou in a transfer worth €60million last summer, with Arthur Melo heading the opposite direction as part of a coordinated swap deal. However, neither player has managed to live up to expectations, especially Pjanic, who recorded just six La Liga starts under Ronald Koeman in 2020/21. The 31-year-old has found himself bottom of the pecking order in the Spanish club, with Sergio Busquets, Frenkie de Jong, Pedri and Illaix Moriba all enjoying more playing time than him. Following a lacklustre season-long stint at Barcelona, the ex-Roma playmaker could be goi...
Barcelona open to selling Manchester United target for €50-60m amid contract standoff – report
Barcelona are willing to part ways with Ousmane Dembele this summer unless he is prepared to renew his contract, Sport claims. The 24-year-old has been with the Blaugrana for the past four seasons but has been limited to just 118 appearances due to regular injuries. His current deal expires in less than 13 months, and it is reported that the Frenchman has yet to show any intention of extending his stay. The Spanish giants are unlikely to stay patient for long and could sell him for €50-60 million if there is no progress in the negotiations. Sportslens view: Dembele had a good 2020/21 campaign for the Blaugrana with 11 goals and five assists from 44 appearances across all competitions. One of the big positives was his fitness. The Frenchman missed just six matches over the entire campa...
PSG steals Georginio Wijnaldum from Barca’s grips with better offer
Liverpool’s Dutch midfielder, Georginio Wijnaldum, who had been a long-time target to firm up the Catalan midfield for Barcelona, made a sudden volte face by deciding for former French Ligue champions Paris Saint-Germain instead. Just when the details of his move from former English Premier League champions Liverpool were almost fully sorted with arrangements on course for Wijnaldum’s medicals at Camp Nou, PSG jumped ahead to challenge for the midfielder’s interest with a juicier offer which appears to have worked in their favour. The Ligue 1 side has now won the race to sign 30-year-old central midfielder on a free transfer from Liverpool. PSG found their way around advanced talks between Wijnaldum and Barca by showing the defender their determination to attract him to Paris by improving ...
Barcelona prefer selling €25m-rated graduate, no contract talks planned – report
Barcelona are prepared to sanction the sale of Sergi Roberto after declining to negotiate a new contract, Mundo Deportivo claims. The Spaniard has spent his entire career with the Catalan giants, registering 304 appearances across all competitions. He has less than 13 months left on his contract, and the hierarchy have yet to make contact with his agent over a renewal. It is reported that the Blaugrana could be leaning towards his potential exit during the forthcoming summer transfer window. Sportslens view: Roberto had an injury-plagued 2020/21 campaign for the Blaugrana, playing just 1,200 minutes in all competitions. The club seem prepared to sanction his sale this summer as they now have plenty of cover for the right-back position. Sergino Dest and Oscar Mingueza can play in the role w...
Barcelona turn attention to €50m-rated midfielder after Georginio Wijnaldum blow – report
Barcelona have revived their interest in Napoli midfielder Fabian Ruiz after missing out on Georginio Wijnaldum, Radio Catalunya claims. The Catalan giants were widely fancied to sign Wijnaldum on a free transfer following the expiry of his Liverpool contract at the end of the month. However, the deal was hijacked at the final hurdle, with Paris Saint-Germain offering him double the wages that the Blaugrana had proposed. It is now reported that the club have switched their attention to Ruiz and have already made contact with the Spaniard’s representatives. Napoli ‘only want money’ on the table, and there is no room for negotiations over the fee when it comes to the club president Aurelio de Laurentiis. Sportslens view: Ruiz has been a long-term target for the Blaugrana, but a deal has neve...
