Abde has responded with a message to Osasuna on Instagram.
“Thanks to you, I have felt at home and I have enjoyed myself like a small child,” he wrote.
“I also want to thank my teammates and the coaching staff for welcoming me as part of the family and I just have to say thank you again. Here you have one more rojillo for life.”
Speculation continues to roll around regarding Abde’s future. Xavi is thought to be keen to see him in pre-season but a sale can’t be ruled out right now.
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Lots going on at Rafa Marquez’s side
Barcelona have confirmed major changes at Rafa Marquez’s Barca Atletic team with 13 players leaving after the expiration of their contracts.
It’s already been made know that promising talents such as Victor Barbera and Ilias Akhomach would leave at the end of the campaign after failing to renew their deals.
Barcelona have now confirmed that the trio have been joined by Sergi Rosanas, Álex Zalaya, Alpha Diounkou, Moha Moukhliss, Roberto, Aranda, Román Vega, Álvaro Núnez, Luismi, Àlex Carbonell and Arnau Rafús.
Barcelona forward Raphinha could be the latest big-name player targeted by a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia.
This summer has seen a host of players head to the Middle East, with Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante, and Kalidou Koulibaly just some of those stars jetting off to Saudi Arabia.
Mundo Deportivo journalist Achraf Ben Ayad reckons Raphinha could be the next player to be targeted and says he has already attracted interest from Saudi Arabia.
Raphinha’s future had been the subject of speculation throughout the season but those rumors have quietened down recently.
Al Ahli are keen to sign the Ivorian this summer, and are willing to double his wages, but there’s not word yet on whether Kessie is tempted to head to the Saudi Pro League.
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The Barcelona superstar is ready to lead Spain to glory and show the world — and herself — what she’s all about.
Alexia Putellas is the best player in the world. The reigning two-time Ballon d’Or and FIFA’s “The Best” winner has separated herself from her peers in the last few years, and the Barcelona captain sets the standard for the women’s game.
Alexia has absolutely everything: the skills, the intelligence, the physical stature to impose her will in midfield and incredible poise and efficiency in front of goal, and on top of it all she adds style and flair to every pass and dribbling move. There is no one else in the game that can make the ruthless look so beautiful. She truly is one of one.
Putellas arrives at the 2023 Women’s World Cup as part of a strong Spain squad that will be among the favorites, and she’s just won her second Champions League in three years with Barça. But everything isn’t perfect. Alexia was gone for most of the season, recovering from a serious knee injury for more than 10 months — an injury she suffered, ironically, while preparing for last year’s EUROs with Spain.
She returned at the very end of Barça’s season but played only 120 total minutes in six games off the bench, appearing in the UWCL Final for only five minutes as a late substitute in a classy move by her manager to make sure she could be the captain and get to lift the trophy.
It’s been a long, hard road of recovery, and one wouldn’t be wrong to ask whether or not Alexia is fit enough for the biggest tournament of her career. But she and the Spain coaching staff are confident that a long training camp and a relatively straightforward group stage will provide Putellas with enough time to enter the knockout rounds as close to her best as possible.
Alexia won’t have some of her Barça teammates who used to form the spine of Spain’s national team by her side, because of a 15-player walkout at the end of last year due to disagreements with coach Jorge Vilda’s methods and the federation. Alexia was initially part of the protest but decided to make herself eligible for selection again this year, and her decision influenced others of the 15-player group to also return and make the squad much stronger than initially expected going into the World Cup.
Spain will likely win the group and reach the Round of 16 as one of the favorites, but the competition will be fierce and they need Alexia to be at her best to have a real shot at winning it all. The fitness questions are legitimate but if Alexia’s body allows it, she is ready to introduce an audience that might not follow Barça Femení on a regular basis to all the aspects of her beautiful game.
Nikola Jokic won the NBA championship with the Denver Nuggets and showed a global audience that may not have been familiar with his game just how special he is. In a very similar way, Alexia has a chance to show the entire world on the biggest stage everything that makes her awe-inspiring to those who follow her regularly.
But Alexia also needs a big World Cup to conquer her own demons. Coming back from a devastating injury isn’t easy, especially for someone who had never suffered one and was a model of fitness and consistency, and Alexia has been open about the mental challenges of the recovery process. Playing her best football again in the World Cup would show her that her knee is indeed strong enough to handle the highest of standards, and she is still every bit the player that deserves to be called the best in the world.
This is Alexia Putellas’s World Cup. Even if a very small part of her might not believe it quite yet.
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Ferran Torres has had moments and flashes of what Barcelona fans want him to become. But that’s where it stopped, moments. Those moments never seem to continue and his future at Barcelona was in question heading into the summer.
Now, that future seems nearly finalized. The Barca player is going to stay at Barcelona despite links toAstonVilla and other clubs. The man loves Barca, and wants to prove himself.
“I can’t wait to continue at Barcelona. I’m really happy at Barça and my plan is to continue at the club,” he said.
“I want to show that I’m a very good player. I know I haven’t been able to prove it yet.
“Although when I arrived, I helped somewhat so that the team ended up qualifying for the Champions League. I had very good games. I am aware that in the world of football, life takes many turns, today you are in Barcelona and tomorrow....”
Barcelona are going to have to make some tough financial decisions this summer, and Torres staying certainly complicates things. Although, him staying also gives them the chance to recoup some funds if he can improve his performances.
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Barcelona are currently making plans for their squad ahead of the new campaign and have plenty of decisions to make, not least regarding those players they sent out on loan last season.
There were mixed fortunes for Barca’s loanees, some played regularly while others struggled, so let’s look at what may happen next and which players may have played their way back into contention at Camp Nou.
Ez Abde
There’s no doubt that Ez Abde was the biggest success story of all Barcelona’s loanees after a strong campaign with Osasuna. The winger helped his team to the Copa del Rey final and into a seventh place finish.
Osasuna sporting director Braulio Vazquez has admitted his team were “lucky to have” Abde but has also conceded it will be almost impossible to keep hold of him for another campaign such has been his form.
Photo by Fernando Pidal/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
Abde made 33 appearances in all competitions, scoring six goals, and also doing enough to be called up to Morocco’s World Cup squad. There was more success there, as Abde made three appearances in Morocco’s run to the semi-finals.
The winger couldn’t have done too much more to try and impress but his future remains uncertain. Xavi reportedly wants to see him in pre-season but if a big offer arrives then Barcelona are likely to accept.
Abde is currently impressing again, with Morocco at the U23 AFCON tournament, and his performances could well attract admirers.
Barca have issues on the left of the attack, and Abde could be a solution, but the club’s financial situation unfortunately means a sale can’t be ruled out.
Verdict: Deserves a chance but may be sold if big offers arrive.
Clement Lenglet
Barcelona packed Clement Lenglet off to Tottenham for the season and have seen the defender play regularly in what was a pretty turbulent campaign for the Premier League club.
Lenglet made 27 appearances in all competitions and his loan spell will have helped restore confidence that seemed to desert him at Barcelona. The Catalans are hoping Tottenham will sign Lenglet permanently, but a deal has not been done yet.
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images
Obviously the departures of Antonio Conte and Fabio Paratici will have caused disruption at Spurs, but with a new manager now installed there’s a chance that Lenglet’s future may be decided one way or the other.
Barca will have to look elsewhere if Spurs do decide against signing Lenglet. There certainly looks to be no room for Lenglet Barcelona with Inigo Martinez set to join Ronald Araujo, Jules Kounde and Andreas Christensen in defense.
Verdict: Barca hoping Spurs make a move.
Sergiño Dest
Barcelona loaned out Sergino Dest to Milan after it was made pretty clear he was not in Xavi’s plans. A purchase option was also inserted in the deal, in the hope the move would be made permanent, but there’s been no chance of that after a poor campaign for the full-back.
Dest simply struggled to impress in Italy, making just two Serie A starts all season long, and played only 13 times in total. Coach Stefano Pioli offered him some advice in January but it didn’t seem to make any difference.
“He played a good game against Torino. I told him that his problem is mentality. He must remain focused every day because he has important characteristics,” he said. “I don’t think starting in an attacking position is good for him. He has excellent intensity and dynamism and has the qualities to help defensively.”
Dest headed off on international duty at the end of the season but even that ended early with a red card in a wild game against Mexico that subsequently brought a two-match ban.
The USMNT star is now facing an uncertain future, with the rumor mill fairly quiet about possible options and even claiming he could stay at Barcelona - possibly because of a lack of right-back options.
Verdict: Barca would love to sell but might have to settle for another loan.
Nico Gonzalez
Xavi has admitted that Nico could have stayed this season but opted to leave because he wanted to play regularly. Nico headed off to Valencia but has had something of a mixed season, playing 26 times in La Liga but missing a chunk of the campaign through injury.
It’s not clear what will happen next but the rumor mill has talked up another loan move. The departure of Sergio Busquets, and Barcelona’s financial problems, should be good news for Nico but Xavi seems to have other ideas.
Photo by Aitor Alcalde Colomer/Getty Images
Nico’s long been tipped as a potential successor to Busquets, but Xavi has said recently he does not see him in that position and think he’s better further forward like Frenkie de Jong.
“I see Nico as more offensive. He has a slightly more attacking mentality, more dividing, dribbling… To give you an idea, a bit like Frenkie de Jong this season.
Verdict: There’s a chance he could stay but a loan to Betis may be on the cards.
Samuel Umtiti
Barcelona waved goodbye to Samuel Umtiti last summer, sending him on loan to Lecce and agreeing to pay his salary for the season too, in a move that helped the club register new signing Jules Kounde.
Umtiti says he chose Lecce because he needed “peace and quiet” after a difficult time at Barca and certainly won over the hearts of the Italian side. The defender made 25 appearances and helped keep the club in Serie A for another season.
Umtiti is actually contracted to Barca until 2026 but surely won’t play for the club again. A summer split looks inevitable, in some shape or form, with recent reports claiming he could even be released from his contract if an agreement can be found.
Verdict: Lecce loan should help him find a club for next season
Alex Collado
There’s no doubt Alex Collado has had a tough time of it in recent years. He wasn’t registered in 2021 which led to him going out on loan to Granada and he chose another loan this season.
Collado signed for Elche in a bid to “continue growing” but it was another tough campaign. Elche finished bottom and were relegated, Collado only played 15 times and saw his season disrupted by an injury that kept him out for over three months.
Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images
The 24-year-old will now head back to Barca, where he’s under contract to 2024, but the club will be keen to sell. Las Palmas, now managed by former Barca B coach García Pimienta, could be an option.
Verdict; For sale for a small fee.
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A round-up of the latest Barcelona news and rumors
Gündoğan, 24th signing from the Premier League - FC Barcelona
İlkay Gündoğan has become the 24th FC Barcelona signing from a club in the English Premier League (since it was founded in 1992/93). Gheorghe Popescu was the first in 1995, and since then England has always been a prime target for sourcing potential new recruits to the blaugrana cause.
One month until the preseason Clásico in Dallas! - FC Barcelona
The preseason Clásico is being played on July 29 (which will be the morning of July 30 in Europe), at the AT&T Stadium, Dallas, which holds 80,000 people and is the usual home of NFL side the Dallas Cowboys. This is the second consecutive year that the rival sides have met in what is becoming something of a preseason tradition. Last year, new signing Raphinha scored the only goal in a game that was also played on US soil.
Ousmane Dembele will stay at Barcelona - SPORT
FC Barcelona forward Ousmane Dembele will continue under the command of Xavi Hernández next season. The player will not activate his release clause, valued at 50 million euros, and his continuity in the team is a reality.
Barcelona accelerate the arrival of Inigo Martinez - SPORT
FC Barcelona do not want to wait any longer to announce their second signing for the upcoming season. After securing Ilkay Gündogan, the Blaugrana intend to announce the addition of Iñigo Martínez from Athletic Club for the next two seasons.
Burnley interested in Barca keeper Arnau Tenas - SPORT
Just when it seemed that Arnau Tenas' future was far from Camp Nou, as he himself confirmed, FC Barcelona have opened the door to renewing the goalkeeper from Vic.
Oriol Romeu becomes a priority option for Barcelona - SPORT
Oriol Romeu is the midfielder who could end up signing for Barça for the pivot position after gaining consensus among the decision makers. The Girona player has the sporting OK from both the coaching staff and the sporting department and the operation would be on track with a maximum cost of 15 million euros between transfer fee and salary, much less than Brozovic could cost.
Photo by Pedro Salado/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images
No agreement yet, though
Ousmane Dembélé’s agent, Moussa Sissoko, has met with FC Barcelona and reports say that both parties are optimistic about a contract renewal.
The winger’s contract expires next year, so the club wants to lock him in until 2027. Reportedly, the Frenchman sees that as a good option.
Both parties are trying to avoid a situation similar to last year, when, with six months left in his deal, Dembélé looked unlikely to renew. The club threatened to bench him if he did not sign a new deal, until Xavi intervened. Then, after his contract expired, the forward took the unusual step of going back to his old club and signing a new contract.
Crucially, the player’s agent has told the club they are not looking to trigger a release clause this summer that would allow him to sign for another club. Another team would have to pay 50 million euro, with half going to Barcelona and half to Dembélé and his agent.
The player is said to be happy at his current club and especially pleased with Xavi as manager.
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Aston Villa are reportedly considering making Barcelona an offer for Ferran Torres which would involve a loan and a purchase option.
Mundo Deportivo reckon the Villans would take Torres on an initial temporary basis but with a purchase option set at 25 million euros.
The report doesn’t sound too optimistic, as Barca aren’t mad on the idea and Torres wants to stay, but does think that things could change.
Barcelona need to offload players pretty urgently, which could help Villa’s cause, while Torres may find starts hard to come by next season.
Torres knows all about the Premier League, having spent two years with Manchester City, before heading back to La Liga with Barcelona in 2022.
Villa are on the up under manager Unai Emery and finished seventh in the table, securing European football for next season for the first time in 13 years,
The club have already signed Youri Tielemans on a free transfer this summer and are hoping to get a deal done for Villarreal defender Pau Torres.
Barcelona and Villa have done business fairly recently, with Philippe Coutinho joining the club last summer, but it remains to be seen if Torres will follow his path to England.
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Espanyol have been hit with a ban after supporters chased Barcelona players off the pitch back in May after Xavi’s side had clinched the title in a 4-2 win.
Barcelona players celebrated in the center circle after the victory confirmed top spot in La Liga but then made a hasty exit after fans invaded the pitch.
Espanyol have now been sanctioned but aren’t at all happy with the ban.
“As we have reiterated on multiple occasions, this type of behaviour has no place in football or society and we will continue to act in the most forceful way to eradicate it,” read a club statement.
“However, we feel that unreasonable criteria has been applied, inconsistent with other cases. It affects the entire club and season ticket holders from all sectors of the stadium.
“We consider the sanction disproportionate and, therefore, in defence of our legitimate interests and those of our fans, we will exhaust all means of appeal and protection at our disposal.”
Barcelona and Espanyol won’t meet in the league next season as the Catalans ended the season in 19th and were relegated from the top flight.
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Joan Laporta wasn’t shy this week about the Negreira case and Javier Tebas. The Barca president went a bit off script this week in an interview with ‘El fator clau’. The boss started things off going at the Negreira case before heading to attack Tebas and the league.
“The Negreira case is a campaign against Barça. We have to be self-critical, but it was something we inherited. Having refereeing advice is not a crime,” he said.
“Barça has never bought a referee, apart from the fact that perhaps we did not value sufficiently what it meant that the son of a former referee gave us advice. This has gone out of control, because there is an orchestrated campaign to take over Barça, to transform Barça into a SAD”.
Laporta went on to criticize Javier Tebas and La Liga.
“The Negreira case is linked to the fact that we have not signed with CVC, fortunately, because it mortgaged Barça for 50 years. It is a fund that has kept 10.95 percent of the clubs’ television rights. It was still a loan. We didn’t see that it was an operation that could be of interest to us. Needing as we were to save the club, what we did was to sell 25 percent of our television rights for 686 million and that saved the club. It hasn’t fixed it, because we still have an operating deficit of 200 million that we are attacking with an austerity plan, but what we didn’t see was the contract with CVC,” he said.
“One of the conditions was that Tebas would stay, first for 15 years and then for eight. His salary is double that of bank presidents. We were told that if we did this deal he would give us fair play, 15 percent. We were told that if we didn’t sign we couldn’t sign or they would make it more difficult for us. This is in court. We said no and they gave us the cross. You come to the conclusion that Catalonia can be within the state, but even so, some cannot digest the elements that define our Catalanness. They can’t digest that one of the elements of Catalanness is Barça and they try by all means to keep it for themselves. So, the lords of La Liga, those of CVC and other established powers want this, but they should know that they will have us defending Barça’s interests to the last drop of our blood. We do this because we love Barça”.
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The Belgian will stay at Atletico Madrid
Barcelona have decided they will not be taking up their purchase option on Yannick Carrasco this summer, according to multiple reports.
Carrasco had been an option to join Barcelona this summer after the club negotiated an option as part of the deal that took Memphis Depay to Atletico.
Reporter Ruben Uria says Barca won’t sign Carrasco and he will join Atletico for pre-season. It’s thought that Carrasco, who is out of contract in 2024, could now renew with Diego SImeone’s side.
Diario Sport are also reporting that Carrasco is not coming to Barcelona this summer but are not ruling out a future move.
The news comes as no real surprise as the option is thought to expire at the end of the month, and Barcelona are not in a position to bring in players currently with sales still needed.
Carrasco has also hinted recently that he’d be staying. He said on international duty that he was expecting to return to the Rojiblancos for pre-season.
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No consensus over Dani Parejo at Barca - SPORT
Dani Parejo is one of the names in FC Barcelona's orbit following the departure of Sergio Busquets. His arrival would bring experience and would fit the profile that Xavi Hernandez is looking for, but does not generate consensus at the club.
Former Man United midfielder Marcel Sabitzer offered to Barcelona - SPORT
The departure of Sergio Busquets has prompted a number of agents and clubs to approach FC Barcelona to offer midfielders to fill the vacancy. One of the latest proposals that have been received by those in charge is for Austrian midfielder Marcel Sabitzer.
Ousmane Dembele tells Xavi he will stay at Barcelona - SPORT
Ousmane Dembele will remain at Barça despite his contract situation making him an attractive player on the market. The French winger can leave the Blaugrana for just €50m until mid-July, but he will not exercise that clause or listen to offers. Dembele told Xavi that his intention is to continue at Barça this season and in the future as he is willing to renew his deal with a contract that could run until 2027.
Barcelona open door for Nico Gonzalez to join Real Betis on loan - SPORT
Nico Gonzalez will not play for Barcelona next season. The Catalan club have already informed the player's camp and the intention is to send him on loan again so that he has regular minutes and ends up fulfillng his potential.
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Al Ahli could face competition for Kessie’s signature from Chelsea. Relevo claim that the Blues are keen on the former Inter man and he’s on their wishlist.
New manager Mauricio Pochettino is said to be a big fan of Kessie and is after a new midfielder after losing Mateo Kovacic to Manchester City.
It’s thought Xavi has already spoken to Kessie and made it clear he will struggle for minutes again next season, particularly now Ilkay Gundogan has arrived, with the club also aware that a sale would help their current financial situation.
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Barcelona’s financial situation is dominating headlines during the summer transfer window as the Catalans try to strengthen their squad ahead of the new campaign.
The club have now been given a boost with La Liga set to make changes to their financial fair play regulations.
La Liga’s changes mean that Barcelona will now be able to spend 50%, rather than the previous limit of 40%, of anything they save or bring in on signing new players.
That limit will actually rise to 60% if a player who accounts for more than 5% of the club’s spending limit is sold.
Here’s the official statement from La Liga:
“The objective [of the change] is to stimulate signings at a time when the transfer window is at a standstill while ensuring clubs are still making savings overall,” said a spokesperson.
“This transitional change for the 23-24 season will positively affect many clubs in excess of their limit as they will be able to continue to operate in the market while making savings.”
Xavi’s side also need to register new contracts for a host of key players. Gavi has already been registered as a first-teamer but extensions for Ronald Araujo, Inaki Pena, Marcos Alonso and Sergi Roberto still need to be registered.
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Saudi club Al Ahli have been revealed as the club interested in buying Franck Kessie from Barcelona this summer and have reportedly been in talks with the midfielder.
The Athletic report that Al Ahli are willing to double Kessie’s current salary if he agrees to make the move to the Middle East.
Barcelona are willing to sell Kessie after just one season at the Camp Nou but want a transfer fee of around €30 million for the Ivorian.
The report goes on to state that Kessie wants a “better offer” if he is to leave the club and Al Ahli “are expected to improve to their terms.”
Interest in Kessie comes at a time when Barca really need to make sales but are struggling to offload any of their players.
Kessie hasn’t been a regular starter in his debut season at Barcelona and selling the midfielder, who arrived last year on a free, for a big fee would be a welcome boost.
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Barcelona’s transfer plans appear to have been deal another blow, with news that talks over a deal to take Clement Lenglet to Tottenham are not advancing.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has the latest on Lenglet and reckons the Frenchman is not a priority signing for Spurs.
The north Londoners are said to be looking at Wolfsburg’s Micky van de Ven and Bayern Leverkusen’s Edmond Tapsoba instead.
Understand Tottenham not advancing on Clement Lenglet deal with Barça yet — it’s not a priority now. ⚪️ #THFC
Focus on new CB with Edmond Tapsoba and Micky van de Ven options revealed here days ago… plus one more.
Lenglet is one player who looks to have little future at Barca, due to the defensive options at Xavi’s disposal, but it’s not clear now where he’ll play his football next season.
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Brozovic delaying Al-Nassr decision as Barcelona wait on the midfielder - SPORT
Marcelo Brozovic seems to to have doubts about joining Al-Nassr. The Croatian midfielder has reportedly rejected the Saudi club's latest offer, considering it too low, although negotiations are still open, according to 'La Gazzetta dello Sport'.
Marcelo Brozovic "gives the nod to Barcelona" - SPORT
FC Barcelona and Marcelo Brozovic are moving closer together. The player is cooling off his move to Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr while waiting for the Blaugrana to formalise a firm offer. However, the Croatian, according to Italian journalist Gianluca di Marzio, has already said 'yes' to the club.
Barça prepared to release Umtiti from his contract if he accepts terms - SPORT
Barcelona are working against the clock to lighten the squad and, above all, to save on salaries that will allow them to lower the wage bill. Transfers and loan deals are being negotiated, but the club already know that the best way to move on Samuel Umtiti is by cancelling his contract, which runs until 2026.
Barcelona could be about to get some financial help from Saudi Arabia, with the club expecting a mega bid for midfielder Franck Kessie.
Saudi clubs have been splashing out on players left, right and center so far during the transfer window and have now reportedly turned their attentions to Kessie.
The midfielder’s future has been uncertain for a while, due to a lack of starts, and he faces even more competition for a spot now Ilkay Gundogan has arrived from Man City.
Mundo Deportivo reckon that Kessie should receive an offer from Saudi Arabia in the coming days and must then decide whether to take it up.
MD reckon that Kessie would rather head to the Premier League or the Bundesliga, if he has to leave Barcelona, but may just be willing to listen to a lucrative offer from the Middle East.
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Here we go again. According to reliable journalist Achraf Ben Ayad, Barcelona wouldn’t completely rule out a Frenkie de Jong sale this summer if the right price arrives. We went through this whole saga last year and it ended up with nothing, and that was before Frenkie really found a great place in Xavi’s plans.
Fast forward to this summer, and Frenkie is a key part of Barca and Xavi’s design for a midfield for years to come. With Ansu Fati and Ferran Torres not leaving, Barcelona’s ability to regain some financial capital this summer is waning.
The problem with all of this is that the few teams that would be willing to fork over a respectable amount for Frenkie are probably in England and De Jong has shown hesitation in wanting to head to Manchester and Erik ten Hag’s United. So for now, Frenkie is likely to stay. Thank goodness.
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The duo won’t move which means the club can’t buy
In a somewhat hilarious turn of events everyone saw coming, Ansu Fati and Ferran Torres are not interested in leaving Barcelona this summer. Now, why they would ever want to leave Barcelona when they’re making great money and get to play now and then is beyond me, but Barca were convinced they could make some money off these two.
Neither have guarantees they will be key players next year, and it just doesn’t seem to matter. The problem with any argument that Barca make to them, is that there just isn’t enough attacking depth for Torres and Fati to not be key rotational members of the team.
Diario AS reckon Barca are “very disappointed” with both players for staying when they are not guaranteed starters under Xavi. Their disappointment also means they need to find another way to try and raise some funds this summer.
So Barca are in a tough spot, there’s no reason for Fati and Torres to leave when due to squad depth they will be apart of the rotation this upcoming season, but Barca are desperate to make sales if they want to strengthen the squad.
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Marcelo Brozovic’s future has taken another twist with news that the Inter midfielder will not accept the current offer on the table from Saudi side Al-Nassr.
Fabrizio Romano has reported that the Nerazurri have agreed a deal with Nassr but Brozovic wants more money if he is to make the switch to the Middle East.
Here’s the latest update:
Marcelo Brozović won’t accept current proposal from Al Nassr. Salary bid has to be improved to make it happen. #transfers
Inter agreed €23m deal with Saudi side but deal only depends on the player since Sunday. pic.twitter.com/tYLt6Il3zg
The news is likely to be something of a boost to Barcelona who have reportedly identified Brozovic as a potential summer target.
However, the fact remains that Barcelona are going to struggle to sign Brozovic unless they can make some sales pretty swiftly.
Gianluca Di Marzio is reporting that another reason why Brozovic is hesitating is because he’s waiting to see what happens with Barcelona.
There had previously been talk of Franck Kessie being used in a possible swap deal, but it’s thought the midfielder isn’t too keen on a return to Serie A.
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Yet Diario Sport reckon Barca “don’t want the winger to take any risks with his fitness” and want Abde benched to avoid the winger picking up an injury ahead of pre-season.
Abde is thought to be in Barca’s plans for pre-season, but there’s also the chance he could be sold if an attractive offer arrives.
It’s not clear yet what will happen with Abde and whether he will play later today when Morocco face Ghana.
The game is set to take place in Morocco this evening and it will be interesting to see if Abde features in the game or decides to sit this one out to keep Barcelona happy.
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A round-up of the latest Barcelona news and rumors
İlkay Gündoğan joins FC Barcelona - FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona and Ilkay Gündoğan have reached an agreement for the German international to sign for the Catalans now that his contract with Manchester City has ended. He will join for two seasons, through to 30 June 2025, with the option to stay for one more year. His buyout clause has been set at 400 million euros.
Ilkay Gündoğan: Goalscoring midfielder - FC Barcelona
Barça's first signing of the 2023/24 close season is no ordinary player. Ilkay Gündoğan's arrival equips Xavi Hernández with somebody who has developed in his seven years at Manchester City into a midfielder with a complete repertoire of attributes.
İlkay Gündoğan: Did you know...? - FC Barcelona
İlkay Gündoğan, one of the world's finest midfielders of the last decade or so, is joining FC Barcelona. Here are ten basic facts that if you didn't know already, you will certainly need to know now!
One month until FC Barcelona v Arsenal - FC Barcelona
The SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles, will be the venue on July 26 for the friendly between Barça and Arsenal, the second instalment of the four-game trip to the United States, and the fourth visit by the Catalans to the Californian city. The stadium holds 70,000 spectators and the events it has hosted in the past include the Super Bowl.
Arda Guler wants a Haaland-esque commission to sign - SPORT
Barça are still very interested in signing Arda Guler from Fenerbahce, who is said to have the full sporting OK from all the coaches. The Blaugrana have launched a bid for the Turkish player despite the competition and hopes to have the chance to sign him.
Barca make first Dani Parejo offer in pivot search - SPORT
Dani Parejo could be the replacement for Sergio Busquets in the pivot position at FC Barcelona. According to 'Jijantes', the Catalan giants have already made him a first contract offer of one season plus an optional one, although the player would prefer to have two years guaranteed. Parejo has a contract with Villarreal until June 2024, but he would have a more or less affordable release clause if Barça decided to take a chance on him.
Andreas Christensen, the hidden pivot option? - SPORT
The club's sporting management is looking for a proven top-level pivot on the market whose signing would fit in with the club's delicate financial situation. The mission is by no means simple. The technical team, however, will focus all its efforts on meeting Xavi Hernández's request. The project needs a special defensive midfielder to climb the next rung of the ladder of competitiveness.
The clause Gündogan has included in his contract to sign for Barcelona - SPORT
Ilkay Gündogan's Barcelona contract includes a clause that the player has expressly requested to cover his back in the event that they cannot fulfill his registration in LaLiga. Despite having the guarantees from the club, Ilkay has considered that it is better to have everything in writing.
Iñigo Martinez will become Barça's second free agent signing of summer - SPORT
Unless there is a major surprise, Gündogan will not be the only player to join Barça this summer on a free transfer. Barça have long been 'exploiting' the free agent market and, as we have been reporting in recent months, they have also convinced Iñigo Martínez to join the club. The arrival of the Basque centre-back, who has already announced that he will not continue at Athletic Club, should not take long to become official.
Gündogan is first of five Barcelona signings ahead of 2023/24 season - SPORT
With the Barcelona's official announcement of the signing of Ilkay Gündogan, Joan Laporta and the sports management of the Catalan club begin to outline the squad for the 2023/24 season. A squad that, in principle, is expected to receive up to five new players to improve Xavi Hernandez's project and regain competitiveness in Europe.
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The new signing will have a big part to play in the upcoming campaign
Ilkay Gundogan is officially a Barcelona player, and will have a major role in the team’s defense of their La Liga title.
This one is a signing that fits like a glove.
He arrives without a transfer fee, and at the age of 32, will have two years, with an option of one extra, to help manage Xavi’s midfield.
Finally, Barcelona got one over Manchester City. This is a low-risk, high-reward piece of business, that will likely reap immediate rewards for the Blaugrana, while asking difficult questions of Pep Guardiola, especially if Bernardo Silva follows suit in departing the Citizens.
Gundogan arrived at Manchester City in 2016, the same year as the Catalan manager. His career in Sky Blue got off to a difficult start with injuries, but with time he established himself as an essential component of Pep’s midfield alongside Kevin De Bruyne.
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What’s exciting about Gundogan’s resume isn’t just that he understands the Barcelona philosophy of keeping the ball, but rather the evolution that he experienced in Manchester City’s tactical approach from season to season.
The German is a proven winner who took five Premier League titles in six seasons.
He’s familiar with Barca’s preferred 4-3-3 formation, having run the midfield alongside De Bruyne, and traditional pivots like Fernandinho and Rodri.
With the departure of Sergio Busquets, however, it may not be as simple as playing Frenkie de Jong as a No.6, with Pedri and Gundogan as attacking midfielders in front of him, although in my opinion this is the most likely starting point.
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Xavi will have to experiment tactically and help the team find a new structure and identity in the midfield.
Gundogan has played deeper in a double pivot, although it’s not ideal for him, and it’s hard to see the logic in going in this direction, other than to try it out as an experiment. It would put more pressure on Pedri as a 10, which on the flipside could also be seen as giving the young Spaniard more space and freedom to create.
Playing in a 4-2-3-1 may also benefit wingers like Ousmane Dembele and Raphinha who would have the whole flank to themselves to pick up the ball and run at defenders.
Most recently, Gundogan helped Manchester City win a historic treble, in yet another tactical evolution that saw his team play in a very attacking 3-2-4-1 formation, with none other than John Stones in a double pivot behind him, with the goal scoring monster Erling Haaland leading the attack in front.
Could Barcelona pull this off?
Maybe Eric Garcia alongside Frenkie de Jong, with Pedri and Gundogan in attacking roles, behind Robert Lewandowski, and flanked by Dembele and Gavi?
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It depends on whether Xavi is willing to take risks, or whether he sticks with the more familiar 4-3-3.
With Gundogan, the manager will have a flexible player, with the intelligence to take on whatever roles or responsibilities that are given to him.
Best of all, this is a player with an instinct for scoring goals.
Recall when the German caught fire in 2020-2021, scoring 11 goals in 12 games as a false nine. What he proved then, and reminded us again last season, is his ability to deftly navigate the final third, with incredible timing and anticipation in front of goal.
Gundogan simply makes scoring look easy. That’s what the best goal scorers do.
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I’m very excited to see the partnership with Pedri and Frenkie, but it does make me wonder whether Gavi is the odd man out.
Does this mean Gavi will be asked to play out on the wing, or will Xavi come up with a plan to utilize all four midfielders at the same time?
Or maybe Gundogan himself will be the one on the bench, fighting his way into the lineup.
Having depth, especially in the midfield, will be a big improvement for Barcelona, and you have to imagine that Gundogan will already have Xavi’s trust, which is important when you consider the underutilization of Franck Kessie and Pablo Torre, who spent most of last season on the bench.
Gundogan could be the signing of the summer for Barcelona.
Is another Manchester City recruit in Joao Cancelo on the way?
That one won’t come for free, but if Barca can acquire a proven full-back, in Cancelo one with the ability to play on both the right and left, then it’s already close to mission accomplished.
But further building out the midfield is always a top priority for any Barcelona team.
Welcome to Barcelona, Ilkay Gundogan.
Let’s get to work.
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The goalkeeper has reacted at a press conference
Arnau Tenas has spoken out about his future at Barcelona amid speculation he is set to leave in the summer transfer window.
The goalkeeper’s contract is up at the end of the month, and it’s been reported that Barcelona will now renew his deal.
Tenas is currently on international duty with Spain’s Under-21s at the Euros and confirmed he will not be renewing with Barcelona.
“It has come out that Barça is not executing the renewal,” he said. “It is true and I can confirm it. Now I’m with the National Team and I am focused on this.”
Tenas is a highly-rated youngster but his path to the first team is blocked by both Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Inaki Pena.
The 22-year-old has been at Barcelona since 2010 but now looks like he must find a new club ahead of the 2023-24 campaign.
It’s thought that Tenas does have plenty of offers on the table already and will decide his future after his Spain duty is finished.
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The midfielder has joined on an initial two-year deal
Ilkay Gundogan has left Manchester City and moved to Barcelona on a free transfer and has explained why he made the switch.
Pep Guardiola said he wanted Gundogan to stay with the treble-winners but Gundogan has revealed he always wanted to play for Barcelona.
“If I was going to move, there is only one club in the world that made sense. It was Barcelona or nothing. Ever since I was a little kid, I dreamed of wearing that shirt some day,” he said.
“I am confident that I have a few more years left at the highest level, and I just want to help bring Barcelona back to where they deserve to be.”
Gundogan also admitted that talks with Xavi and the chance to play with Robert Lewandowski again helped him make up his mind.
“It will be a reunion with my old friend Lewa, and I’m excited to play under another manager who I have admired for a long time,” he added.
“When Xavi and I talked about the project, it just seemed so natural. I see so many similarities between us as characters and in the way we see the game.
“I know there’s going to be a lot of pressure at Barcelona. But I love pressure. I love to get out of my comfort zone. I was not looking for an easy landing. I was looking for a new challenge. That’s what this next chapter is all about. I can’t wait to play in the Barcelona shirt
Barcelona are reportedly hoping to step up efforts to offload players this week and want four players gone before the end of the month.
Diario Sport are reporting that Barca are in a rush to get rid of several contracts before the end of their financial year.
There are four players at the top of the club’s list too: Samuel Umtiti, Clement Lenglet, Sergino Dest and Alex Collado.
All of which is easier said than done. Barca are thought to be in talks with Tottenham over Lenglet but are yet to agree a deal with the north London side.
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A round-up of the latest Barcelona news and rumors
This is the current state of Spotify Camp Nou as redevelopment kicks on - SPORT
FC Barcelona continue to make progress on the refurbishment of Spotify Camp Nou as part of the new Espai Barça project. With the men's first team season over and after all the farewell events, the work started at the beginning of June and will last until June 2026, but members will be able to access it again in November 2024, coinciding with the 125th anniversary of the institution.
Barça & Liverpool both chasing promising left-back Patrick Dorgu - SPORT
FC Barcelona are after one of the most promising players in European football, left-back Patrick Dorgu, who can also play inside. He is an 18-year-old player who is an U-19 international for Denmark and has won the Primavera tournament with Italian club Lecce.
The nursery of LaLiga: Barcelona flooding Spanish football with talent - SPORT
Barcelona are the great nursery of Spanish football. With the exception of Real Madrid, Atlético de Madrid and Athletic Club, all the teams that have played in the Primera Division in the 2022-2023 season had at least one player in their first team who has come through the Catalan club's youth system, even if it was the last stage of the reserve team.
The two pivots Barcelona are looking at now - SPORT
FC Barcelona are still on their tireless search for a defensive midfielder to fill the void - in sporting terms - left by Sergio Busquets. Two of the names that have been gaining strength in recent days, according to journalist Gerard Romero on Jijantes, are Dani Parejo (Villarreal) and Oriol Romeu (Girona).
Al Nassr pushing hard to take Barca target Marcelo Brozovic - SPORT
The signing of Marcelo Brozovic by Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr seemed to be close to completion. However, Barça entered the fray. The Saudi Arabian club had tabled a huge offer for the Croatian international and were ready to present a tasty proposal to Inter Milan.
Xavi wants Ez Abde at Barca for pre-season - SPORT
Ez Abde's future is at Barcelona, at least in the immediate future. Xavi Hernandez's intention is to have him back in the squad when the pre-season starts on July 10.
Barca aiming to get 10m for Clement Lenglet - SPORT
In the coming days FC Barcelona will reactivate their efforts to seal departures of the players who have been on loan this past season to help unblock the transfer operations that are pending, and the name of Clement Lenglet is marked in red.
Inter Miami are on the lookout for Jordi Alba: They want the ex-Barcelona trident - Marca
Inter Miami have already secured the signings of Leo Messi and Sergio Busquets, and could add another illustrious Barcelona player: Jordi Alba. There has now already been initial contact with the Catalan left-back and the MLS side intend to intensify talks in the coming days, once the first two deals have been completed and signed.
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“FC Barcelona and Ilkay Gündoğan have reached an agreement for the German international to sign for the Catalans now that his contract with Manchester City has ended. He will join for two seasons, through to 30 June 2025, with the option to stay for one more year. His buyout clause has been set at 400 million euros.”
Marcelo Brozovic is currently being linked with a move away from Inter, with Al-Nassr and Barcelona both believed to be keen on the midfielder.
However, the rumors appear to have caught the Croatia international by surprise. Journalist Fabrizio Biasin sent Brozovic a message to tell him he’d be missed and received the following reply.
“The hell? Everyone saying goodbye to me and I haven’t spoken to anyone! This is mad,” he replied.
The rumor mill has also claimed that Xavi is keen to bring in Brozovic and that the midfielder would rather head to the Camp Nou than Saudi Arabia. It’s not clear yet what will happen next but it seems there’s still some way to go in this transfer saga.
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Barcelona’s hunt for a new midfielder has taken many turns already this summer and has now reportedly taken the club to Villarreal and Dani Parejo.
Relevo are reporting that Parejo is a “real option” for Barcelona and could arrive for free due to a clause in his contract.
The clause applies to this summer and apparently allows Parejo to move at zero cost if he so desires.
Such a move would be bound to interest Barcelona, given their financial issues, but Relevo reckon that Parejo is happy at Villarreal and hasn’t seriously considered activating the clause as yet.
Whether that may change if Barcelona make a move remains to be seen. The Catalans are said to be “keeping an eye” on the situation as things currently stand.
However, Al-Nassr are said to be “confident” they can get a deal done and it all now depends on Brozovic giving the move the green light, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Al Nassr remain confident on Marcelo Brozović deal. Talks will continue in the next hours, Monday will be crucial day to advance. #transfers
Reports in Italy are also claiming that Inter have all but agreed a deal worth around 23 million euros. Brozovic will earn around 20m euros a year and sign a contract until June 2027.
There had been reports previously that Brozovic would prefer a move to Barcelona and is reluctant to head to Al-Nassr.
However, once again Barcelona aren’t able to guarantee Brozovic he can be registered right now and need to sell players first before they can buy.
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