Barcelona boss Xavi sets one condition to sanction sale of Frenkie de Jong: Reports
Barcelona coach Xavi has reportedly set one condition to sell Dutch midfielder Frenkie De Jong this summer. According to a report by SPORT, Xavi is open to parting ways with De Jong if the club sign Manchester City star Bernardo Silva.
Silva has reportedly been a dream signing for Barca president Joan Laporta for a while, with the player being linked to the club for the last two transfer windows. Silva's current deal with City runs until 2026 and the contract has a release clause of £50 million.
However, as per transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, De Jong is a key player for Xavi. The coach is not willing to part ways with the player until the club guarantee a top-level signing, particularly that of Silva.
The Barca board has reportedly been looking to sell Frenkie De Jong due to his high salary. The Dutchman is currently the highest-paying player at the club with a yearly salary of €37.5 million with the fee set to increase next season.
As per an earlier report by SPORT, Silva is willing to accept a lower salary to join the Catalan club this summer. However, the Portugal international's signing will depend on the club's difficult financial situation and a major sale like that of De Jong could help ease the finances.
Barcelona will prioritize the signing of a top-level pivot this summer
As per Spanish journalist Martinez Ferran, Barcelona's priority is to sign a top-level pivot this summer. Barca have been struggling to find an ideal candidate for the position since Sergio Busquets' departure in 2023.
The club signed Oriol Romeo from Girona as a potential replacement for Busquets. However, SPORT reported earlier that Romeu will leave the club at the end of the season.
The Blaugrana coach Xavi is reportedly keen on signing Joshua Kimmich or Martin Zubimendi for the pivot position. However, the club's financial situation is key to making either signing possible. The club will have to sell important players to bring in enough revenue to make such top signings possible.
As per journalist Matte Moretto, Real Betis player Guido Rodriguez and Everton midfielder Amadou Onana are also among Barcelona's options to reinforce the defensive midfielder position. The deal to sign Rodriguez is "on the right track", per Moretto.
Apart from a pivot, Barcelona will also be looking to sign a striker, a left-back, and a left-winger, reported Alex Pintanel. Players like Nico Williams and Dani Olmo have also been linked to the club.
It remains to be seen whether the Blaugrana will go through a major squad revolution, following poor results in the current season.