In a huge development, Javi Miguel of AS is reporting that Barcelona have ruled out the signing of a new right-back and a new left-winger for the summer transfer window.
Instead, the La Liga champions are prioritising the signing of a new pivot midfielder, an interior midfielder, and a centre-forward.
The right-back slot has been one of the main areas that require addressing at Barcelona. Xavi has had to rely on Jules Kounde as a makeshift option throughout the 2022/23 season and while the Frenchman has performed well, he does not wish to continue in that role.
In such a scenario, Xavi is left with just Sergi Roberto and the inexperienced Julian Araujo as options at right-back, with the latter even being linked with a loan exit.
A loan move for Joao Cancelo had been heavily talked about while Bayern Munich’s Benjamin Pavard had also been touted as a target for the Catalan giants.
But, given the tough financial situation, it seems like the Blaugrana have decided against going after a new right-back. Instead, the report claims that the club plan to speak to Kounde to convince him to continue as a full-back next season as well.
As for the left flank, Xavi was keen on adding a more dynamic player who can also chip in with goals. Yannick Carrasco of Atletico Madrid was the main target, with Barcelona securing a purchase option worth €15-20 million for him back in January.
However, the La Liga champions have no desire to spend that much on Carrasco’s signing. And instead, they could look to incorporate young loanee Ez Abde into the first-team squad after his impressive loan spell away at CA Osasuna.
The priority now will be to rope in a pivot midfielder to replace Sergio Busquets, an interior midfielder who can ensure that there is no drop in quality when the likes of Pedri or Frenkie de Jong are unavailable and a striker than can cover for Robert Lewandowski.
