Barcelona News Roundup: Massive blow in pursuit of Premier League superstar, Blaugrana working behind the scenes to bring Neymar back, and more — 7th April, 2021
Barcelona were handed a lifeline in their pursuit of LaLiga Santander Ousmane Dembele as the winger scored a 90th-minute winner against Real Valladolid. The win took the Catalan giants to second place and they now stand just one point behind leaders Atletico Madrid ahead of the upcoming El Clasico.
Ahead of their clash against fierce rivals Real Madrid, here is a look at the latest Barcelona news.
Barcelona dealt massive blow in Sergio Aguero chase
Sergio Aguero has been strongly linked with a free transfer to Barcelona over the last few months, and speculation over a move has ramped up since the announcement of his imminent departure from Manchester City. While the Blaugrana were hopeful of sealing a Bosman move, they have now been hit with a massive blow in their pursuit.
Reports from England now suggest Aguero is likely to remain in the Premier League as opposed to moving to Spain. It has been claimed that the Argentine — currently fourth on the list of goalscorers in the league with 181 — is keen to build on his goal tally and break more records. Andy Cole's record of 186 and Wayne Rooney's tally of 208 are firmly in his sights. With the likes of Chelsea interested in signing him, Aguero's move to Barcelona appears unlikely.
Ousmane Dembele has two offers on the table
Ousmane Dembele is currently enjoying one of the best spells of his Barcelona career this season, but his future at the Nou Camp is far from certain. The French superstar has just under a year and a half left on his contract and is yet to sign an extension. Should he fail to do so, he could be sold this summer as Barcelona will not allow him to leave for free.
Reports from Spain claim that Dembele is admired by Manchester United and Juventus and the two clubs have put forward transfer proposals ahead of the summer window. Another decisive factor is that Joan Laporta could be forced to ask Dembele to take a pay cut, which could also play a role in Dembele's potential move away from the Blaugrana.
Talks ongoing for sensational Neymar return
Barcelona are working behind the scenes to oversee superstar forward Neymar's return to the club, as per reports from Spain. The Brazilian left the Catalan club for a world record €222m fee four years ago and has been linked with a return on several occasions since. With his contract set to expire in 2022, a potential transfer could be on the cards.
PSG would reportedly like to replace Neymar with current Barcelona star Ousmane Dembele, whose contract also ends in 2022. This could pave the way for a 'barter' between the two clubs, but Barcelona are also working on a 'strategic' move by negotiating a contract renewal for the French forward. The ideal scenario for Barcelona would be to sign Neymar on a free whilst demanding a transfer fee for Dembele by getting him to extend his deal.
Also read: Barca ready to offer two stars in exchange for Neymar, Manchester City's stance on Lionel Messi transfer revealed and more - 6 April 2021