SETTABLOID

As Barcelona continue their search for a new pivot midfielder, sporting director Deco is looking at several possible options as targets to reinforce the position.

The signing of Guido Rodriguez as a free agent appears to be advanced, but the Catalans are eager to add another defensive midfielder to their ranks before next season.

Names like Joshua Kimmich and Martin Zubimendi have been at the top of the wishlist, but the financial situation does not permit moves for those players.

As such, Deco appears to have landed on a more affordable alternative, one closer to home in the form of Javi Guerra.

Barcelona enquire about Guerra

Indeed, as per SPORT, Barcelona director Deco has lodged an enquiry for Valencia midfield youngster Javi Guerra as he explores a summer move for him.

The 21-year-old Spaniard has emerged as a key cog in Ruben Baraja’s side this season and has even chipped in with four goals from 35 La Liga matches.

Deco and the Barça technical staff appear to have taken a liking to the young midfielder, with the former even asking about his situation at Valencia ahead of a possible summer swoop.

Guerra could cost around €30 million

Guerra has a contract with Valencia until the summer of 2027 and as per the report, he has a release clause worth €100 million in the deal.

However, it is suggested that the clause is negotiable and in fact those within Barcelona believe that the 21-year-old ace could be available for a fee of around €30 million or lower in the summer.

Valencia, for their part, are aware of Barcelona’s interest in Guerra and might be open to negotiations as long as favourable terms are offered, as they have to share 30% of the proceeds with Villarreal.

Deco’s interest in Guerra is real, but any move from Barça’s end will depend on them resolving their financial situation first.

As the end of the season inches closer, the focus is starting to shift towards the summer transfer window, with FC Barcelona expected to be quite busy over the next few months.

There will likely be a number of sales in the coming months for Barcelona need to boost their coffers, while the Catalans could also stand to benefit from some dealings involving their former players.

Jean-Clair Todibo is one such ex-Barça player who is expected to secure a big move in the summer and will leave money in the Catalans’ coffers due to a 20% sell-on clause.

Chadi Riad could be another such player.

Crystal Palace want Chadi Riad

Indeed, as per SPORT, Crystal Palace are eager to sign former Barcelona defender Chadi Riad from La Liga club Real Betis in the summer.

In fact, a move could be close to being finalised which would stand to benefit the Blaugrana financially.

Riad left Barcelona to join Real Betis on loan last summer with a mandatory €3 million buy clause inserted in the deal, which is set to be activated.

The Catalans have a buyback option for around €7 million, but there are enough defensive resources at the club to not consider activating it.

Instead, Riad is bound for the Premier League, with Crystal Palace set to sign the young Moroccan centre-back.

€12 million in the coffers for Barcelona

Now, Barcelona will receive the €3 million transfer fee from Real Betis related to the mandatory buy option in the agreement.

In addition to that, the Catalan giants also secured a 50% future sell-on clause on Riad and as such, will receive half the fee that Real Betis pocket from his departure.

As per the report, Crystal Palace will be shelling out around £15 million (close to €18 million) to sign Riad from Betis.

And Barcelona would stand to receive half of it, i.e., close to €9 million, which along with the €3 million mentioned above would leave about €12 million in their treasury.

Journalist Fernando Polo has mentioned via Mundo Deportivo that veteran defender Sergi Roberto will renew his contract with Barcelona whether Xavi stays or not.

On the other hand, despite recent media speculation regarding Guido Rodriguez’s move being affected by Xavi’s continuity, the reporter has confirmed that the Real Betis midfielder will, in fact, move to Catalonia regardless of Xavi’s future.

With Xavi’s future uncertain, some decisions for the 2024-25 season are already set in stone. One key decision is the renewal of Roberto’s contract for another year.

It must be noted that Xavi has always supported keeping Barcelona’s first captain on the team. Even if Xavi is not the coach, the plan to extend Sergi Roberto’s contract remains.

As for Rodriguez, the only obstacle is meeting La Liga’s financial fair play rules, but his transfer is nearly finalized.

Barcelona counting on Roberto’s experience

Roberto, now 32, will stay with Barcelona, and his new contract will be officially announced after the league season ends.

The club veteran accepted a pay cut last season due to Barcelona’s financial struggles and is highly valued for his experience, versatility, and leadership as captain.

Club insiders argue that without him, Barcelona would need to spend more to find a player with similar qualities.

The club also plans to have a larger squad next season to avoid the personnel shortages experienced this season, which were only partially offset by the emergence of several young talents.

These young players are expected to solidify their roles alongside veteran players like Sergi Roberto, addressing the current squad’s depth issues.

What about Guido Rodriguez?

Regarding Rodriguez, Barcelona see him as a replacement for Oriol Romeu in midfield. However, the club still aims to sign a top-tier defensive midfielder.

Xavi’s preferred choices are Joshua Kimmich from Bayern Munich and Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad. But if Xavi does not stay as coach, there could be changes in Barcelona’s plans.

Despite this, the groundwork for Rodriguez’s transfer is in place, and his official signing will depend on Barcelona’s ability to comply with salary regulations to register him in La Liga.

Many former heroes and players of FC Barcelona tend to stay in touch with the club. Given how massive the influence and impact of the entity is, it hardly comes as a surprise either. Furthermore, more often than not, such individuals also have invaluable opinions to share about Barcelona as well.

As highlighted by SPORT, however, he was recently questioned about Barcelona and Xavi. The Spaniard continues to praise Xavi even today, and when asked about his opinion of the current Barcelona coach, he had nothing but good words to offer:

“I have a good relationship with him, he is a super ‘culé’ and was destined to be Barça’s coach. He knows what he says and what he does.”

Moreover, the 37-year-old also pointed out the positives of the current Barcelona season, suggesting that perhaps Xavi’s work will truly receive its due credit in a few years from now when the players he brought up from the quarry begin to showcase their true potential:

“The most notable thing is how he is bringing up young players from the academy. In 2 or 3 years, we will surely remember that Xavi brought up these players; good work is being done at the base… Xavi is contributing a lot.”

Until and unless there is official clarity on the matter, disarray will continue to plague Barcelona. This is not a positive development for either the image of the club or for the mental aspect of the players who take the field to represent the Blaugrana colors.

he cover story of the Spanish publication SPORT has revealed that Barcelona have created a shortlist of five potential candidates to replace Xavi as head coach for the next season.

This list includes Roberto De Zerbi, Thomas Tuchel, Hansi Flick, Rafa Marquez, and Thiago Motta.

The decision to consider new managers comes as Xavi faces criticism from the club’s management over his comments about Barcelona’s financial issues.

Club president Joan Laporta has decided to take a week to reflect on the situation, which has added to the uncertainty within the team. The players are eager to know what the plan for the next season will be and want stability in the club’s direction.

Marquez and Flick favourites?

Despite the financial challenges, Barcelona’s management is exploring their options. Among the five candidates, Marquez and Flick seem to be in the strongest positions.

The Mexican has been making a positive impression with his work in the youth team, and Flick is currently available as he is not tied to any club, making negotiations straightforward.

De Zerbi, who is currently with Brighton, has announced he will leave at the end of the season. However, there are rumours that he might be heading back to Italy, with potential positions at Juventus or Milan.

What about Tuchel and Motta?

Tuchel, who is expected to leave Bayern Munich after finishing third this season, is another candidate.

Although Bayern Munich have offered him a chance to stay, with support from the team’s dressing room, Tuchel has declined the offer as he does not wish to continue there.

Thiago Motta, currently managing Bologna, has also been mentioned as a potential candidate. However, his agent stated that Motta does not like to offer himself to clubs that already have a manager, suggesting a move might be less likely.

As of now, nothing is confirmed regarding Xavi’s future or the appointment of a new manager at Barcelona. However, if they decide to move on from Xavi, these five candidates are considered valuable options for the role.

Premier League side Aston Villa have been linked with a surprise move for Ronald Araujo after securing fourth place in the table and a Champions League spot for next season.

Diario Sport are reporting that manager Unai Emery and sporting director Monchi had already warned Barca they would move for Araujo if they secured a place in Europe’s premier club competition.

That dream has now come true and Villa may go on to make a formal offer to Barcelona for their Uruguayan defender. Emery’s side plan to sell Diego Carlos first to free up some space for Araujo.

Villa doesn’t seem an obvious choice for Araujo but there’s no doubt that Emery has done a fine job at Villa Park this season. His team beat Tottenham, Chelsea, Manchester United and Newcastle to fourth spot and made it to the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League.

Araujo has said he’s happy at Barcelona but speculation continues to swirl due to the club’s ongoing financial situation and the fact the Catalans have a host of other center-back options.

Aston Villa are lining up an audacious summer swoop for Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo and are cautiously optimistic of striking a deal, according to reports.

Unai Emery’s side wrapped up fourth spot and a place in the Champions League in midweek after closest challengers Tottenham were beaten by Manchester City.

Villa are already hoping to use the lure of playing in Europe’s premier club competition – not to mention the added finances – to bring in a higher calibre of player this summer.

According to Spanish newspaper Sport, their primary target is Barcelona centre-back Araujo and they have been working on a deal since last month.

Sporting director Monchi was spotted at the Estadi Olimpic for Barca’s clash with Valencia at the backend of April and he spoke to members of the club’s hierarchy.

There had been suggestions Villa were interested in former Leeds United winger Raphinha, but now it has been revealed that they were actually discussing a potential move for Araujo.

During the visit, Monchi asked for details on the Uruguayan’s situation and made it clear Villa would return with an offer should they secure Champions League qualification.

With that now in the bag, Villa are ready to accelerate their pursuit – though there could be a number of sticking points.

Firstly, Villa need to offload some players to comply with the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules, with Diego Carlos the player they are most keen to shift – particularly as it would open up a spot in the defence.

They will also need to convince Araujo to move to Birmingham, though he is thought to have significant interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs

The likes of Bayern Munich as well as Manchester United – who could have no European football next season – are long-time admirers of Araujo.

But Villa are keen to move quickly and that suits Barcelona, who need to make one big sale before June 30 in order to comply with Spain’s Financial Fair Play rules and free up funds for new signings of their own.

Despite his strong performances, Araujo is seen as the most dispensable player at the club given both the size of the fee he would command and the abundance of options Barca have at centre-back.

Barca already have the likes of Jules Kounde, Andreas Christensen and 17-year-old breakout star Pau Cubarsi capable of playing in central defence so they are open to cashing in on Araujo. Whether Villa can convince him to join is another matter.

An insight into the potential knock-on effect of the departure of manager Xavi from La Liga giants Barcelona on the club’s squad planning for next season has today been forthcoming.

Barcelona’s 3-0 win over Rayo Vallecano has left a bittersweet feeling in the Catalan camp.

Although the club have secured their place in the second position, it appears a few of their first-team stars have already played their final game at home, at least as a Barça player.

One of these players could be Andreas Christensen, the former Chelsea defender who has impressed in a new role this season.

Is Christensen up for sale?

According to Diario SPORT, FC Barcelona are not ruling out the possibility of selling Christensen in the coming summer.

The club are aware that the Dane had joined the club on a free transfer, meaning a sale could see them earn a substantial profit in the summer.

Although Christensen has been of great use to Xavi Hernandez this summer, Barça are expected to consider a sale if they receive a good offer for the player.

This comes on the back of a fresh interest from Newcastle United, with the Premier League giants reportedly keen on acquiring his services at the end of the season.

If not Christensen, then who?

Barcelona players are not oblivious to the reality that there will be changes in the squad this summer.

If Barcelona do not sell Christensen, the club must sanction the exits of other stars. Among the players who could leave the club include Raphinha while Marcos Alonso has already played his last home game for the club.

The likes of Ronald Araujo and Frenkie de Jong have also been linked with exits, with both of them likely to fetch significant valuation.

The coming summer, therefore, promises to be an important one, not just for Christensen but for a whole lot of Barcelona players.

Amidst question marks over the futures of a host of FC Barcelona players, captain Sergi Roberto appears set to continue at the club.

The veteran defender’s contract expires on June 30, but reports suggest that he will be signing a new contract and furthering his stay at the Catalan outfit for one more season.

Even though his role in the team is not very prominent, Roberto is greatly valued at the club due to his experience, leadership, and commitment towards the team.

Roberto gives example of commitment

Giving an example of his commitment and dedication towards the club, SPORT reports that Roberto has been playing with an injury in the last four games for Barcelona.

Indeed, it is being suggested that the Spaniard suffered a broken rib during the game against Girona earlier this month, despite which he carried on the pitch.

Roberto’s mistake in that game cost the Blaugrana, but the captain came out to face the media after the match.

Following that, the versatile defender also featured for 20 minutes or so against Real Sociedad after coming on as a substitute in the second period.

Roberto then went on to start for Barça in both their matches last week against Almeria and Rayo Vallecano, playing over 110 minutes across the two clashes.

This sort of commitment and dedication makes Roberto a much-valued player in the locker room.

As such, the club officials will likely meet this week to discuss his contract situation, although an extension appears extremely plausible at this moment.