Getty Xavi could be about to have a new addition to his squad.
Barcelona may still be in a difficult financial situation due to the club’s enormous debts but remain determined to try and strengthen the squad in the January transfer window and want to add two new players.
The Catalan giants are aware that it will be “very complicated, extremely difficult” to bring in new players but “will work tirelessly” to try and strengthen Xavi’s squad, as reported by Diario Sport’s Jordi Carne.
Manchester City forward Ferran Torres remains a target but negotiations are “progressing more slowly than desired.” Yet there is “moderate optimism” from Barca’s chiefs that a deal can be done.
Barca’s “idea” is also to bring in another striker and targets include Dani Olmo, Karim Adeyemi, Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech. However, any deal will depend on Barca first manging to offload unwanted players.
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Barca’s Attacking Problems
It’s no surprise that Barca are looking at players with an “offensive profile” given that Sergio Aguero is out for at least three months due to a cardiac issue which may even force him to retire.
Denmark international striker Martin Braithwaite is also still sidelined after undergoing knee surgery in September, while Ansu Fati and Ousmane Dembele have both struggled with injury again this season.
Dembele’s future at the club also remains uncertain with the forward out of contract in the summer of 2022. President Joan Laporta has offered an update on how contract talks are going, as reported by Marca.
“There is a process, one that is going slower that we would like,” he said. “I can’t tell you anything specific because we’re still working on it. Dembele is a very important player for us and he can give much more than he has to date. He can be a leading player if we manage to keep him. We’ll keep working for him to stay. The contractual situation is what it is and it is something we inherited, but we hope he can stay here.”
The Frenchman is reportedly “dissatisfied” with Barca’s current contract offer, while the club are starting to lose faith that we will continue his career at the Camp Nou.
Could Barcelona Land Torres?
Spain international Torres could be an ideal replacement for Dembele if he does decide to leave the Camp Nou. The 21-year-old moved to Manchester City from Valencia in 2019 and has already won the Premier League and the League Cup with the Citizens.
Torres was also part of the City team that made it to the final of the Champions League in 2020-21 and impressed along the way, as shown by Squawka Football.
Ferran Torres’ last five #UCL games for Man City:
⚽️ vs. Porto
⚽️ vs. Marseille
⚽️ vs. Olympiakos
❌ vs. Porto
⚽️ vs. Marseille
They’ve found themselves a gem.
Coach Pep Guardiola has been asked about the speculation surrounding Torres’s future and certainly did not rule out an exit, as reported by the Manchester Evening News.
“It’s not my business, you have to go to Txiki [Begiristain] or the agent of Ferran Torres, or Barcelona, I’m not the guy to talk about it. In six years I don’t talk about these issues,” he said. “We call some players from other clubs when we are interested, so I completely understand. I would prefer not but it is what it is. We cannot control that and it depends on many, many things.”
Torres is keen on a move to Barcelona but it remains to be seen if Barca and City can complete a deal for the youngster, as reported by Diario Sport. The two clubs are currently “miles apart” when it comes to agreeing a price.
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