SETTABLOID

Barcelona have always had an eye on the Brazilian market for up-and-coming young talents, which led them to the capture of Vitor Roque last summer.

The 19-year-old striker was signed from Athletico Paranaense in the summer of 2023, even though his arrival to Europe was delayed until the winter earlier this year.

Barcelona shelled out €30 million (plus €31 million in variables) on the Brazilian forward’s signing, beating multiple clubs to his capture.

Roque snubbed Tottenham to join Barcelona

Roque has been in the headlines of late due to his lack of minutes since arriving in Barcelona towards the end of 2023.

The 19-year-old has hardly received regular minutes under Xavi, which prompted his agent, Andre Cury, to hit out at the manager and Barça for the youngster’s handling.

In one of the statements he made, Cury remarked that Roque had turned down better offers to join Barcelona.

Building on that, journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has now reported that Tottenham Hotspur were one of the clubs that Roque rejected to sign for Barcelona.

The Italian transfer expert states that Spurs were one of those clubs who offered more money than Barça to sign the teenage forward.

In fact, Romano states that the Lilywhites put forth the ‘best proposal’ for Roque in excess of €30 million. However, the striker had his heart set on Barcelona forcing Athletico Paranaense to accept the Catalans’ offer.

But given how things have gone for Roque since he arrived in Barcelona, his future at the club has become a topic of much debate.

A loan exit has been mooted for some time now, although Cury stated that they could angle for a permanent transfer away if things do not improve.

Barcelona, though, will not pay much heed to what the agent said and will carry forward with their plans for the youngster who is a part of the club’s long-term plans.

In a recent interview with Le Parisien (h/t MARCA), Robert Lewandowski opened up about missing out on the Ballon d’Or, most notably in 2020 and 2021.

The forward also talked about Kylian Mbappe and his relationship with the Frenchman over the years.

Lewandowski on 2020 Ballon d’Or

Reflecting on one of the very few things he has missed out on during his illustrious career, Lewandowski pointed out the Ballon d’Or and the time when he came close to winning it in 2021. The Pole even admitted that he deserved to win the Ballon d’Or in 2020.

 “In 2021, Lionel Messi surpassed me, and the 2020 edition was cancelled. I think I deserved to win that season. That’s what I’m sorry,” Lewandowski said.

“If you win everything with the team, if you score so many very important goals, you can think like that. You work to achieve such distinction throughout your career,” he added.

Lewandowski admitted that he does regret missing out on the Ballon d’Or title in 2020, adding, “The decision to cancel it in 2020 was a disappointment, but I don’t want to think about things that are out of my control.”

Lewandowski’s relationship with Mbappe

Lewandowski went on to talk about Mbappe. In the past, the forward had said that the Frenchman’s potential move to Real Madrid wouldn’t frighten him.

This time around, the Pole opened up about his personal relationship with Mbappe. The two players most recently locked horns in the Champions League quarterfinal, where PSG secured a win over Barcelona.

“In the first game, we were incredible and then, if you compare yourself with a team and you lose because the opponent is better, you can accept it. But in this game it is very difficult to compare yourself when these types of mistakes are made to this level,” Lewandowski said.

“PSG is now in the semi-finals and has a good chance of being in the final,” the Pole acknowledged.

Having lost the first leg 1-0 to Borussia Dortmund, PSG welcome the German giants in the second leg tomorrow, with the French champions requiring a win of at least two-goal margin.

When asked about the road ahead for PSG without Mbappe, Lewandowski admitted that the team could still pose a threat in Europe.

 “I think PSG has the future ahead of it, Even if Kylian leaves, this club will still be in the Champions League and will always be dangerous for all teams in Europe,” he said.

Both Mbappe and Lewandowski are slated to face each other in the upcoming European Championship as Poland and France have been drawn into the same group.

Lewandowski pointed out he will have a potential advantage as the game will be held in Dortmund, but reiterated that France are the clear favourite.

“The game will be in Dortmund. I know everything about their stadium after my years playing for Borussia. But France is the favourite to win the Euro Cup,” Lewandowski said.

“They have Kylian, who is intelligent as a player, but also as a person. I felt it since the first time I saw him,” he added.

“There is still work to do,” assumes Lewandowski, who views Thierry Henry as a role model. “He was the perfect attacker.”

Looking back at his Barcelona career so far, Lewandowski did show disappointment in not scoring at the Bernabeu, although he did point out that he scored there “as a Bayern Munich player.”

Vitor Roque’s agent Andre Cury has made it clear the Brazilian’s not happy with his bit-part role at the club and could even seek a permanent transfer if the situation doesn’t change.

Xavi has already said that he thinks Vitor Roque could go out on loan in the summer, but Cury has insisted that’s simply not an option for the forward.

Yet Barcelona aren’t willing to change their stance on the Brazilian despite Cury’s words, according to Marca.

The club “will not give in to any blackmail” are not interested in Cury’s ultimatums about Vitor Roque’s future.

As a horror show of a season soon comes to an end, Barcelona had the chance to save some dignity and cement their spot as the runners-up of the 2023/24 La Liga season when they took on Girona this weekend.

However, things did not play out in their favour as Michel’s team hit Barça for four goals again, winning 4-2 despite losing 1-2 at half-time.

Now a point behind their Catalans rivals, Barcelona have a lot of work that needs to be done before the season ends while hoping that Girona face a speed breaker or two along the way, as well.

If the blaugranes do not finish second, they will miss out on the Spanish Super Cup spot next season, and in the process, lose a ton of money, too. And as it turns out, it will put Xavi’s future in danger, again.

Spanish Super Cup quota

According to a report published by AS, Xavi’s continuity is in danger if Barcelona are unable to qualify for the Spanish Super Cup next season.

Xavi had announced his decision to leave the club at the end of the season, but after three months of mostly good results and a lot of convincing – public and otherwise -, from the club, he took the U-turn, deciding to stay put for another season, at least.

With Real Madrid officially sealing the league title, Barcelona are set to endure a trophyless 2023/24 campaign.

Barcelona’s poor season could only help double down their effort to undergo a major overhaul in the coming summer, with the future various star players likely to come under scrutiny.

Five untouchables at Barcelona

To that end, a recent report from Diario AS has pointed out how Barcelona could be set for a mass clearout this summer, especially if the club fail to finish second in the league.

In fact, Barça have identified only five players who are untouchables. That means the departure of these select individuals will not be considered as they are too important to the Barcelona project.

Unsurprisingly, the list is led by Pau Cubarsi – the young centre-back who has emerged as one of the best defensive prodigies in the world.

Barcelona will not consider the exit of Cubarsi, even as the club are open to listening to offers for defensive duo Jules Kounde and Ronald Araujo.

Another defensive player who is considered an untouchable is Marc-Andre ter Stegen. The German international has failed to replicate his performances from last season but remains a key individual in between the sticks. His exit, therefore, won’t be considered.

Moving into midfield, Barcelona are sure about continuing with Gavi, but Pedri surprisingly fails to make the list.

It appears Barça are increasingly worried over Pedri’s poor injury record and the youngster could be allowed to move on if he fails to move past his leg injuries.

Fermin Lopez, meanwhile, is also considered an untouchable, largely thanks to his breakthrough campaign this term and his ability to rise to the occasion when his team needs him the most.

Finally, the list concludes with none other than Lamine Yamal, who is undisputedly the most promising prospect at Barcelona right now.

Yamal is expected to become the face of the Barcelona frontline in the years to come, with many even considering him as a potential candidate for the iconic number ten jersey next season.

As Xavi himself expressed after the loss to Girona, a lot of things need to be changed at FC Barcelona ahead of the next season. This is particularly true for the team, which needs several reinforcements in the coming summer transfer window.

But making these signings will only be possible if the Catalans are able to return to the 1:1 rule, which will allow all of their revenue from player sales to be spent on new signings. The Blaugranes are already working towards this goal, and it is hoped that they will be able to achieve it in the coming weeks.

But planning is already underway at the club for the summer transfer window, and according to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona are thinking of bringing in three or four new players this summer to replace some of the key players, like Busquets and Dembele, lost last year.

The top priority of the Catalans is still a midfield pivot, with Joshua Kimmich and Martin Zubimendi being the most favoured players. Both these players have been linked with the Catalans for some time now, and Kimmich can leave for an affordable price this summer as his contract goes only till 2025, and he has not agreed on a renewal yet.

Zubimendi, who has fulfilled the dream of playing for his beloved Real Sociedad side in the Champions League before leaving for greener pastures, can decide either to join Barcelona or an English club this summer. Guido Rodriguez is also a candidate for Barcelona for this position, especially as he can arrive for free.

After the pivot, the Catalans will also be looking to sign a left winger, and Dani Olmo and Nico Williams are the two players on the top of the list for Barcelona for this position. The former has a release clause of €60 million while the latter’s release clause stands at €50 million.

Bernardo Silva also remains one of Xavi’s great dreams for his midfield, and his release clause is currently set at €58 million. Olmo can also play as an interior in the midfield.

Lastly, as the team struggled with finishing its chances in front of goal, a goal-scorer can be the last summer arrival for Barcelona. However, the future of Robert Lewandowski will have to be sorted before another striker arrives at the club.

Tottenham will soon hold talks to sign Raphinha from Barcelona, with Arsenal and Chelsea also interested in the €60 million-rated winger.

According to a report by TEAMtalk, Raphinha is the subject of interest from Tottenham Hotspur. The North London giants are ready to initiate discussions to sign the Barcelona attacker, valued at €60 million. Meanwhile, the Brazilian international is also a target for Arsenal and Chelsea.

Raphinha and his topsy-turvy Barcelona spell

Raphinha has been a solid performer for Barcelona since arriving from Leeds United in a deal worth around €60 million in July 2022. While the 27-year-old has had bouts of inconsistency, he has been one of the top game-changers for the Blaugrana in the last two years, with his stock rising in recent weeks.

Arsenal and Chelsea were also keen on securing Raphinha’s services before Barcelona came calling in July 2022. The two London giants retain their interest in the former Leeds United talisman, looking to bring him back to the Premier League. Arsenal will consider the Barcelona forward as an alternative to the underperforming Gabriel Martinelli.

On the other hand, Chelsea’s continued interest in Raphinha is somewhat surprising, considering Mauricio Pochettino has several wide attackers in his squad. However, the Barcelona attacker, who will cost around €60 million in the summer transfer window, should be an upgrade on all options. However, Chelsea and Arsenal are falling behind Tottenham in the race to sign the player.

The North London giants are ready to open talks with Barcelona for Raphinha’s services. Daniel Levy wants a world-class wide attacker to provide a multi-faceted threat in the final third. So, the 27-year-old has emerged as a viable target, with his price tag of €60 million being within Tottenham’s reach.

It will be interesting to see if talks between Tottenham and Barcelona progress well in the coming weeks. However, with the competition for Raphinha’s signature being high, the North London club should ramp up the efforts to sign the €60 million-rated Brazilian international before another suitor can turn his head.

A sensational report from SPORT has affirmed that Barcelona have reached an agreement to sign midfielder Guido Rodriguez on a free transfer this summer. He will be the club’s first signing for the upcoming season.

Barcelona have been in talks with the Argentine midfielder for months, quite specifically, ever since the last national team break.

The negotiation has been led by Deco, who pushed for the deal that had initially been considered last summer.

Despite Rodriguez being one of Xavi’s desired options last summer, no agreement was reached at the time.

A lot of work has gone into Rodriguez’s signing

It is to be noted that Rodriguez’s contract with Betis will come to an end in June, allowing him to join Barcelona on a free transfer.

During the last FIFA international break, Barcelona’s sporting director met with Rodriguez’s agent to finalize the groundwork for an agreement that will be formalized when the current season concludes.

Barcelona have been in talks with the Argentine midfielder for months, quite specifically, ever since the last national team break.

The negotiation has been led by Deco, who pushed for the deal that had initially been considered last summer.

Despite Rodriguez being one of Xavi’s desired options last summer, no agreement was reached at the time.

A lot of work has gone into Rodriguez’s signing

It is to be noted that Rodriguez’s contract with Betis will come to an end in June, allowing him to join Barcelona on a free transfer.

During the last FIFA international break, Barcelona’s sporting director met with Rodriguez’s agent to finalize the groundwork for an agreement that will be formalized when the current season concludes.

Interestingly, Barcelona’s plan with Rodriguez is to line him up to fill the void left by Oriol Romeu, who is set to depart.

On the other hand, his signing does not mean Barcelona will stop exploring other options for the position, with Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich still being a potential target for the club.

Rodriguez, 30, has been a key player for Betis this season, enjoying a regular spot in the starting lineup.

His move to Barcelona marks an important step in his career and is expected to strengthen the midfield for the Catalan club.

Why Guido Rodriguez?

It must be remembered that Barcelona’s financial situation affects their ability to scout new talent.

Even though they have managed to offload costly contracts, they are still dealing with budget limitations.

In this scenario, Rodriguez emerged as an appealing choice as his acquisition would not involve much spending since he would arrive as a free agent.

At the same time, for someone like Kimmich and Martin Zubimendi, the team from Catalonia will have to spend a fortune.

Everything, at least for right now, is far from sunshine and rainbows at FC Barcelona. The recent defeat to Girona has left La Blaugrana crumbling with their hopes to finish second in La Liga. However, beyond just that humiliation, Barcelona are struggling with their players as well.

Robert Lewandowski sent out a message to fans and called on Barcelona to improve after the team’s 4-2 defeat to Girona on Saturday.

The Poland international was on target in the defeat, from the penalty spot, to take his tally to the season to 17 in La Liga.

Lewandowski’s goal had put Barcelona 2-1 up and in control at Montilivi but another collapse saw Girona take all three points.

The striker took to social media after the match with the following post: “We haven’t accomplished the goals this club and its supporters deserve. We must do better, and we will give our all to achieve it. We must stick together culers.”

Barcelona’s latest defeat is another dismal day for the club. The team have now conceded 13 goals in their last four games – a run that includes losses to Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.