Getty Inigo Martinez is wanted at Barcelona.
Barcelona’s summer squad clear-out looks set to continue with 23-year-old winger Alex Collado expected to be the latest player to wave goodbye to the Camp Nou.
Elche coach Francisco Rodríguez has confirmed both parties want the move and are hoping the transfer will be completed shortly, as reported by Mundo Deportivo.
“The important thing is that he wants to come and we want him to come. We are excited that he can train and everything can be arranged contractually,” he said. “Collado is a very close possibility and hopefully it can happen today.”
Collado will join Elche on a season-long loan that will run until June 2023, as reported by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano. Elche will pay 50 percent of the midfielder’s salary during his stay.
The youngster spent the second half of last season on loan at Granada but had initially been expected to stay at Barcelona for the 2022-23 campaign. However, has since Collado informed coach Xavi he wanted to leave as he wants regular game time, as reported by Romano.
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Collado Already Training With Elche
Barcelona and Elche are yet to announce the deal but Collado is already training with Elche. Journalist Monserrate Hernández has spotted the versatile midfielder at the club’s training ground and shared the footage on Twitter.
Álex Collado ha completado el último entrenamiento del #ElcheCF y debe viajar a Sevilla para jugar ante el #RealBetis.
Collado could therefore make the trip with Elche to Real Betis for the team’s first La Liga fixture of the new season on Monday, August 15. The Barcelona man would become the club’s latest signing and would follow Ezequiel Ponce, Roger Marti, Lautaro Blanco and Carlos Clerc, and Pol Lirol in joining the club.
Barcelona Set For More Transfers?
The winger is unlikely to be the last player to leave Barcelona this summer. Memphis Depay and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang continue to be linked with exits after slipping down the pecking order at the Camp Nou.
Xavi does not want to lose both players and would rather Memphis departs if he had to choose, as reported by Diario Sport. The Dutchman is close to joining Juventus on a two-year deal.
The Barcelona coach is also hoping for more new signings before the transfer window closes at the end of August. Xavi said after Barca’s 0-0 draw with Rayo Vallecano he wants to strengthen his squad further, as reported by ESPN.
“I’ve already said we have to keep strengthening and we have time until Aug. 31 [when the transfer window closes],” he said. “But I don’t want to use that as an excuse [for the Rayo result]. I understand the disappointment, expectations are really high. We will have to analyse the game, improve and keep believing in the model of play.”
Barca have already signed Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, Jules Kounde, Andreas Christensen and Franck Kessie this summer. However, speculation continues that the Catalans also want to bring in Chelsea left-back Marcos Alonso and Portuguese midfielder Bernardo Silva from Manchester City.
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