SETTABLOID – Page 393

Barcelona tracking 19-year-old Norwegian winger, have great reports on him

As has been well-established by now, FC Barcelona are in the market for a new left-winger ahead of the summer transfer window.

The Blaugrana are scouring the market for an explosive and dynamic winger who can provide the same level of threat that Lamine Yamal does from the right.

Names like Nico Williams, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and Dani Olmo are the preferred options, but could prove unviable financially.

As such, it would be advisable for Barcelona to have alternative options ready and it appears that one talented youngster has managed to grab their attention.

Barcelona following Antonio Nusa

Indeed, as per Albert Fernandez of GOL, Barcelona are closely tracking the progress of Club Brugge winger Antonio Nusa for some time now.

Indeed, the 19-year-old Norwegian prospect is very much on the Catalans’ radars, with the club having great reports on the youngster.

Having joined Brugge from Stabæk in 2021, Nusa has prospered in the Belgian league. He has made 72 senior appearances already, with a return of seven goals and five assists.

While his numbers are not yet there, the Norwegian international possesses a very high ceiling and has impressed in his appearances in European competitions.

In fact, Nusa happens to be the second-youngest goalscorer in UEFA Champions League history behind Barcelona’s own Ansu Fati.

Nusa signed a new contract with Club Brugge last year that runs until the summer of 2027 and has a market value of €17 million, as per Transfermarkt.

Several Premier League clubs are also tracking him and with Barcelona also taking an interest, it will be interesting to see whether the Catalans launch a move or decide to go after a more established name.

Fabrizio Romano says Spurs were prepared to pay £35m to hijack Barcelona transfer

Fabrizio Romano has said that Tottenham Hotspur tried their best to hijack Barcelona’s move for Brazilian sensation Vitor Roque last summer, hinting that the club could now try again to sign the youngster this summer.

Roque is widely viewed as one of the best-attacking talents to emerge from Brazilian football over the last few years.

The striker has outstanding numbers in front of goal since breaking into Athletico Paranaense’s senior side and even though he only turned 19 a couple of months ago, he has already been capped by the Selecao.

During last summer’s transfer window, Mundo Deportivo reported that Spurs were trying to hijack Barcelona’s move for the teenager as the Catalan giants were delaying sending over the papers for the transfer despite striking a deal with Paranaense.

However, in the end, Barca managed to wrap up the deal for the centre-forward, signing him for an initial fee of £26m, which could rise to £52m if some performance-related add-ons are achieved (Daily Mail).

The youngster linked up with the La Liga club in January but he has found game time hard to come by, having started just two league games for the Catalan giants (Transfermarkt).

It was reported by TBR Football a couple of days ago that Roque could be allowed to leave Camp Nou this summer, with his availability thought to have alerted the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham.

Could Spurs rekindle interest in Vitor Roque?

Romano has now revealed on his YouTube channel that Tottenham tried to swoop for Roque at the last moment after everything was agreed verbally with Barca.

The journalist revealed that the Lilywhites were even prepared to offer €40m (£34.3m) for the teenager but it was too late at the time.

He adds that it is now a matter of waiting and watching to see who shows interest in offering the Brazilian a route out of Camp Nou this summer.

Spurs Web Opinion

Roque’s agent has made it very clear that the striker does not want a loan. So if Barca do put him up for sale, one would expect Tottenham to join the club queue of clubs after the teenager, given that they showed keen interest in his services just 12 months ago.

Barcelona consider €50m-rated transfer target a profile ‘similar to Dembele’

It is public knowledge at this point that FC Barcelona want to sign a new pivot midfielder in the upcoming summer transfer window.

Along with that, there is also a search for a top left-winger before next season, with manager Xavi Hernandez and sporting director Deco seeing it as a key addition to improving the squad.

It has given way to links to several players, with Dani Olmo, Nico Williams, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia being identified as potential targets.

Of the three, Olmo and Williams are seen as more viable financially, with both players having their own advantages.

Williams seen as similar to Ousmane Dembele

Mundo Deportivo has come forward with an update on Barcelona’s pursuit of Nico Williams, saying the Athletic Club winger is very well-liked by the coaching staff.

It is further claimed that Barcelona see Williams as a player similar to former winger Ousmane Dembele, who left the club for PSG last year.

Xavi & co. are looking for an explosive winger who can cause imbalance and provide a source of goals and assists and Williams is seen as a good fit.

€50 million release clause

Nico has been on Barcelona’s radar since last year, but the interest took a backseat after he signed a new contract with Athletic Club.

However, the new deal does include a release clause worth €50 million, which Barcelona could be able to match, should they manage their finance carefully.

As far as Athletic Club are concerned, they will be offering no discounts or providing any facilities to make the payments easier, which could pose a challenge.

Barcelona set sights on 18-goal Premier League striker as Lewandowski replacement

Over the past few weeks, the rumblings around the future of Robert Lewandowski at FC Barcelona have started to gather momentum.

The 35-year-old hitman has recovered his form after a slow start this season and has been in good touch in the second half of the campaign.

However, there are some within the Blaugrana hierarchy who are not totally convinced about his continuity, more so with his wages set to rise to €32 million next season.

Even though Lewandowski has made it clear that he is not looking to leave, the rumours of his exit persist, with Barça even being linked with a possible replacement for the Pole.

Darwin Nunez on Barcelona’s agenda?

Indeed, according to reports in England, as relayed by SPORT, Barcelona have identified Liverpool hitman Darwin Nunez as a candidate to replace Robert Lewandowski at the club.

Although the striker has netted 18 goals this season, he has not always been accurate in front of goal and has attracted some criticism as a result.

As such, the Uruguayan international appears to be disgruntled at Liverpool and his actions on social media support those claims as he has deleted all images of him with Liverpool from his Instagram account.

With Jurgen Klopp also on his way out, Nunez could ask to leave Liverpool in the summer, with Barcelona now being touted as a possible destination for the centre-forward.

Liverpool could be open to sale

Furthermore, Liverpool could be open to selling Nunez, which would come as a boost for Barcelona, although his price tag could become an issue.

However, Nunez’s wages are understood to be a quarter of what Lewandowski would earn next season, which would be welcomed at the Catalan club.

But, as mentioned previously, Lewandowski has no plans to leave Barcelona. So, any plans to sign Nunez would hinge on first convincing the Poland captain to accept a departure.

Barcelona view La Liga rivals as a favourable destination for 21-year-old forward

Ansu Fati is one of many Barcelona youngsters set to return to Camp Nou after the end of their respective loan spells.

Once regarded as the next big thing in European football, injuries have been a lot kinder to Fati this season.

But his progress at Brighton has been stifled nonetheless, with the player struggling to establish himself as a first-team regular for Roberto De Zerbi’s men.

As Fati looks to return to his parent club, Barcelona will face an uphill task of finding a new club for the Spanish international, who is clearly not a part of Xavi’s plans for next season.

As such, Barcelona are actively looking for suitors for Fati. According to AS, the Catalans want to find a new loan deal for Fati, even though a direct sale has not been ruled out for the young attacker.

Sevilla: An ideal destination for Fati?

The report adds that Barcelona view Sevilla quite favourably as the next destination for Ansu Fati this summer.

The Spanish giants were notably interested in the 21-year-old last summer, but the youngster ultimately opted for a move to Brighton.

But as Fati looks to return to Barcelona once again, Sevilla have lined themselves up as one of the potential suitors.

Barcelona see Sevilla as an ideal destination for Fati to continue his career. Los Nervionenses are regarded as a solid team in La Liga and could offer the young forward an ideal platform to revive his career.

Currently languishing in a mid-table spot, Sevilla require someone like Fati to add that X-Factor in the final third and offer optimum support to Youssef En-Nesyri.

However, these are still early days and it will be interesting to see how many clubs line up for Fati in the coming months.

Barcelona wish to sign PSG coach for free in 2025 – report

With Barcelona announcing Xavi Hernandez’s continuity as manager for another season, the talks for a new head coach have been put on the backburner for now.

However, it appears that Barcelona are already starting to prepare a list of candidates to replace the former midfielder once his contract expires in 2025.

Luis Enrique on Barcelona’s agenda

As such, SPORT reports that Barcelona are very attentive to the situation of PSG manager Luis Enrique.

The former Barça head coach has done a solid job since taking over at PSG last summer and has led them to the Ligue 1 title as well as the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League.

Enrique had been touted as one of the names that the Blaugrana were interested in when Xavi was yet to backtrack on his decision to leave.

While a move for the ex-Spain manager this summer was never going to be a possibility, Barcelona now hope that he could be available in 2025 so that they can bring him back to the club.

Enrique’s contract with PSG expires in the summer of 2025 and the Catalan heavyweights hope that he does not sign a renewal with the Parisian giants.

PSG wish to offer new contract

PSG, for their part, are very happy with how things are going under Luis Enrique and intend to offer him a new contract to keep him at the club beyond 2025.

The Spanish tactician, for his part, is comfortable and settled at the French capital club.

Enrique, as such, was not eager to break his contract this summer if Barcelona had come calling. However, with his contract expiring in 2025, the Blaugrana hope he does not renew.

Barça sporting director Deco sees Enrique as the best option to take over as manager once Xavi’s cycle at the club comes to an end.

As such, they have opened the doors for a reunion and will be watching Enrique closely in the coming months.

Barcelona set to improve release clause of 16-year-old club heir in fear of PSG

According to a report from AS, Barcelona are planning to increase Lamine Yamal’s release clause to deter major European clubs like Paris Saint-Germain from trying to sign him.

Beyond the on-ground activities, Yamal’s most significant role during the summer will likely involve a potential revision of his current contract with the club, which runs until 2026.

Originally, Barcelona intended to extend Yamal’s contract until 2030 when he turns 18 in July 2025. However, his recent meteoric rise has increased his market value significantly.

According to Transfermarkt, his value has jumped from €25 million in September 2023 to €75 million by March 2024.

This surge in valuation necessitates an immediate reassessment of his contract terms, particularly given the interest from major clubs like Paris Saint-Germain.

PSG, a club with a history of acquiring top players from Barcelona such as Neymar and Lionel Messi, reportedly has its sights set on Yamal and may be willing to offer around €200 million for his transfer.

This interest adds urgency to Barcelona’s efforts to revise Yamal’s contract, ensuring they secure his future at the club and reflect his current value in his earnings.

What next for Barcelona and Yamal?

Considering the situation at hand, Jorge Mendes, who serves as Lamine’s informal agent until he turns 18 (at which point his representation becomes official), plays a significant role in managing the young player’s contract.

The improvement of Lamine’s contract is just one of the several matters that the highly regarded Portuguese agent is handling for Barcelona.

Interestingly enough, President Joan Laporta’s collaboration with Mendes in one area can simplify matters in another.

For instance, last summer, while the club was working on extending AljandroBalde’s contract, there were also ongoing negotiations about Joao Felix’s future, Ansu Fati’s potential loan to Brighton, and Nico’s transfer to Porto.

Ultimately, this summer will bring another round of serious business for Mendes and Barcelona.

Three forward players that Xavi has on his wishlist, one is an ‘absolute priority’

Xavi has made it clear that he wants to improve his team for the upcoming season and to do so, he has requested the addition of two or three new players.

As such, according to a report from SPORT, he has already pinpointed his top choices: Nico Williams, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and Dani Olmo, as believes these players can strengthen the team in the way he envisions.

Last Saturday’s loss to Girona was a tough blow for both the Barça team and the club’s leadership. However, we previously noted that the decision regarding Xavi’s tenure as manager remains unchanged.

The goal now is to refresh the squad during the summer transfer market, operating under the 1-1 rule. This effort aims to strengthen a team that hasn’t lived up to expectations this season.

The reinforcement that Xavi wants

It is no secret that Xavi is carefully planning his squad’s future and has specific targets in mind based on the club’s ability to adhere to the financial regulations.

His main focus is on strengthening the left wing of the attack, a priority that aligns with Deco’s recommendations.

Athletic Club’s Nico Williams is at the top of his list. Although he signed a contract extension until June 30, 2027, his release clause remains at €50 million—an attainable figure for Barcelona if they manage their finances well.

Williams presents a more budget-friendly option compared to another winger Xavi admires, Kvaratskhelia.

The Georgian star is looking to leave Napoli, but the club’s president, Aurelio De Laurentiis, has set a steep price of €100 million for his departure.

Another player on Xavi’s radar is Spanish international Olmo. Depending on the team’s outgoings, Olmo might join even if Williams also signs, as Xavi appreciates the RB Leipzig man’s versatility across all three attacking positions.

These potential acquisitions are all part of Xavi’s broader strategy to revamp and strengthen Barcelona’s squad for the future.

Agent of Barcelona attacker opens door to permanent exit

The agent of Barcelona forward Vitor Roque has suggested his client will seek a permanent move if he fails to secure regular playing time.

The Catalan giants paid around €30m (£26m) to recruit Roque from Brazilian club Athletico Paranaense in the January transfer window.

After failing to score in his first three La Liga fixtures, Roque got up and running with a goal in January’s 1-0 win over Osasuna, before he found the net in the next game against Alaves, where he was also dismissed following two bookable offences.

Since serving a one-match suspension, the 19-year-old has had to settle for just six appearances in 14 competitive matches.

The 19-year-old has also been an unused substitute for each of Barcelona’s last four games, with his most recent outing coming in last month’s 1-0 win against Cadiz.

Roque’s agent criticises Barcelona

With Roque struggling to obtain regular game time, the player’s agent, Andre Cury, has now hit out at Barcelona for their treatment of the teenager.

Cury told RAC1: “Everyone thinks that Vitor Roque has to have more minutes and no one understands why the coach doesn’t give them to him

“Xavi has never spoken to the player. I do not understand this situation and I think it is not good for either party. I have told the boy that what he has to do is work even harder and wait for the opportunity.

“In Barcelona there is a lot of press that talks nonsense, gives bad figures and says things that are not true. All this does not help.

Look what has happened with Vinicius at Real Madrid. It has taken two seasons and a half to play and he’s there. Here in Barcelona, in two months a mess is already created and people want to kill instead of help.

“The boy has a contract with Barca. If we chose Barca, because we had other options to pay double, it is because we wanted to play for Barca.

“We are going to show and I am certain that Vitor is going to be a great player, but if Barca won’t let him… The club, the coach or I don’t know what’s happening internally, we’ll have to look for another way.

Roque could seek permanent move

Xavi recently revealed that discussions will take place at the end of the season to decide Roque’s future amid speculation he could be allowed to leave on loan.

However, the striker’s agent says his client will seek a permanent transfer if the Brazilian does leave the club at the end of the season.

“If the club does not give space to Vitor, unfortunately, we will have to talk to the club to find a solution,” Cury added.

“A loan for a young boy ends up harming him because he goes to another club that does not own him and has no interest in taking care of him. This is very dangerous for the boy’s career. The best thing is to stay at Barca, but if he can’t stay we will work to get him to leave permanently.”

With uncertainty surrounding his future, Roque will hope to play a role in Barcelona’s final four games against Real Sociedad, Almeria, Rayo Vallecano and Sevilla.

Barcelona only trust one player in the attack, five forwards are transferable

Although there have been brief glimpses of hope and a few memorable games, Barcelona have found it difficult to maintain the form needed to compete at an elite level.

The imminence of a trophyless campaign has led to introspection within the club, sparking debate about the changes that are required to restore Barça’s pedigree.

Alongside Barcelona’s expected squad revamp this summer, financial pressures are also compelling the club to take tough measures.

Barcelona’s non-negotiable star up front

Now, according to SPORT, the only player deemed untouchable in Barcelona’s front line is Lamine Yamal.

The 16-year-old prodigy has already demonstrated exceptional talent and potential, which has allowed him to warrant a long-term role within the team.

Barcelona holds Yamal in high regard, given his consistent displays on the right flank throughout the season and his ability to shine on the biggest stages.

Moreover, the club’s faith in him is testified by the fact that he is a strong candidate to take ownership of the number 10 jersey next season.

After all, Yamal’s shirt was the second-best-selling item in Barça’s official stores in March.

What about the other five forwards?

As for Yamal’s compatriots, there are looming uncertainties regarding their future at the club.

Robert Lewandowski’s age renders him a potentially saleable asset, while his salary rise is also another deterrent.

Offers will be studied for Ferran Torres, with Raphinha having no shortage of suitors either.

Additionally, the situation surrounding Vitor Roque has been heating up lately, with his lack of game time drawing concern from his agent.

Finally, Joao Felix’s future is also up in the air, with the club only willing to acquire him on another loan instead of splashing cash to sign him permanently.