Latest Barcelona transfer news and Rumors

Published 06/14/2015, 12:36 PM EDT

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Barcelona Considering Signing Fluminense Duo

FC Barcelona seem to be nearing a deal for Fluminenese duo. The international sporting director of the treble winning club, Ariedo Braida recently revealed in an interview about him landing in Brazil next week to check on two of FCB’s long term targets. The players shortlisted by the board are Fluminense midfielder Gerson and striker Kenedy, Braida also stated, “Barcelona have someone working there and he has been working on this. There has been an option to sign the two for a while now.”

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Both the players are exceptionally talented, as the attacking midfielder Gerson has represented Brazil national team at U17 and U20 levels and is blessed with great dribbling abilities along with the skill of dictating the tempo of game from the deep. Juventus were reportedly offering 11 million pounds for him back in the January transfer window. While there striker Kenedy was linked to the Premier League giants Chelsea and Manchester United back in the summer with the Stamford Bridge named the favorite destination to land him. The 19 year old forward has a contract till 2018 with the Brazilian club and possesses deceptive strength and a deadly pace mixed with a poacher approach toward goal.

Barcelona seem to be a deserved favorite place for the talented promising  football players around the planet as their renowned academy La Masia has produced some of the world’s finest footballers in the form of Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta, Xavi Hernandez, Sergio Busquets, etc.  If Barca are successful in landing these two players, it will reaffirm the club’s commitment to building on a foundation of youth. The lure of sharing the pitch with Lionel Messi and co. might end up these budding superstars in Catalonia sooner than later.

Martin Montoya linked to Liverpool

With the renewal of Dani Alves and the signing of the Aleix Vidal from Sevilla, the right-back position is all but locked up for the Blaugrana making both Douglas and Martin Montoya expendable. Things appeared good for Montoya during the start of the season with the Brazilian international out of contract at the end of the season but a sensational return in form of Alves helped Barca earn their second treble and the initial out of favour Brazilian was rewarded with a contract extension for two seasons.

The Spaniard seem no longer a part of Luis Enrique’s plans and needs to move to pastures greener if he wants to mobilize his career with the national team. At the moment Liverpool seem to be a perfect destination for the 24 year old defender as he is well capable of leaving his impression at the Anfield. The only issue that may come out from this transfer is the 10 million pounds Barcelona are asking for him. As for Douglas Periera, nobody knows what the Barca management was really planning on when finalizing his transfer from Sao Paulo. The Brazilian never actually looked capable of fulfilling the Camp Nou standards and now seems to have fallen further down the order after his debut season at the club. A transfer/loan seems highly likely for him as well at the moment.

Pogba still the top Barca target

FC Barcelona’s president Josep Maria Bartomeu recently told the French TV program Telefoot:

“It is true that Pogba is a leading target of ours and obviously we are interested, but I can’t say anything more.

We are forbidden to recruit players until January, so I can’t talk about it.”

Also in an interview with Italian Station Gazetta TV, club’s International sporting director Ariedo Braida voiced his fondness for the French International:

Pogba could be a good reason to talk with [Juve’s sporting director Giuseppe] Marotta. He has enough quality to play for any team in Europe and it’s normal that everyone would want him.

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I would advise him to come to Barcelona. He is an important player that I and the president [Josep Maria] Bartomeu like.”

 

With the Barca top brass making it evidently clear of having shortlisted Pogba as their number one summer target, we might end up seeing the Barca board go all out in the transfer market against his other admirers which include the like of PSG and Manchester City. However Barca have an unresolved issue of transfer ban under which they are allowed to complete the signings although the players won’t be registered with them till January 2016 meaning Pogba would have to wait for his Camp Nou debut for 6 months. And with Euro 2016 coming up, it makes little sense for Pogba to choose this particular transfer window to leave. Another season in Turin can only help his development and would allow him to prepare for the tournament in a familiar environment.

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The Pogba saga is set to dominate this season’s summer transfer window and it would be very interesting to see how this story unfolds.

 

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Written by:

Shivarshi Bajpai

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