Barcelona Transfer News Roundup: Blaugrana not in Jhon Duran talks; Manchester United offered £83.5m for Ansu Fati, and more - September 27, 2024
Barcelona have enjoyed a blistering start to life under Hansi Flick this season. They have won all seven games in La Liga and next face Osasuna on Saturday, September 28, in the league.
Meanwhile, the La Liga giants are not in talks to bring Aston Villa forward Jhon Duran to the Camp Nou next year. Elsewhere, Manchester United had submitted a mammoth offer for Barca attacker Ansu Fati.
On that note, here's a look at the key Barcelona transfer stories as on September 27, 2024.
Barcelona not in Jhon Duran talks, says Fabrizio Romano
Barcelona are not in talks to sign Jhon Duran, according to acclaimed transfer guru Fabrizio Romano. The Colombian forward has been in inspired form for Aston Villa this season and has reportedly turned heads at the Camp Nou.
The Blaugrana are looking for a long-term replacement for Robert Lewandowski, who's in the twilight of his career. The La Liga giants apparently believe that Duran could be a good fit for the job. Recent reports have suggested that Barcelona have initiated contact for the 20-year-old.
However, in his column for Caught Offside, Romano refuted those claims.
“Barca are not actively working on a deal for Jhon Duran now, absolutely. All the rest is speculation. We will see in summer 2025, but mentioning this story now it’s completely not true in the sense that Barca are not having contacts for this deal," wrote Romano.
He continued:
“Several Premier League clubs are monitoring his growth and in the summer Chelsea and then West Ham wanted him, but now he’s doing great for Villa, so it’s a completely different story.”
The Blaugrana may have to pay a sizeable fee for Duran next summer.
Manchester United offered £83.5 million for Ansu Fati
Manchester United offered £83.5 million for Ansu Fati in 2020, according to The Athletic. The Spanish forward was on the rise with Barcelona at that time and was tipped to achieve great things.
The Red Devils wanted to add more firepower to their attack and had identified Fati as an option. They were willing to break the bank for the player, but the Blaugrana turned them down.
The La Liga giants had high hopes for the Spaniard and even handed him Lionel Messi's No. 10 jersey following the Argentinian's exit. However, Fati failed to live up to the billing, with injuries ruining his development.
The 21-year-old spent last season on loan at Brighton & Hove Albion but did little of repute. While he ended up staying with the Blaugrana this summer, he has found game time difficult to come by under Flick.
With Lamine Yamal the new darling of the Camp Nou faithful, it's tough to imagine a way back for Fati at Barcelona. Unless he does something spectacular this season, the Blaugrana are likely to let him leave.
Nico Williams has no regrets about failed Camp Nou move, says brother Inaki Williams
Nico Williams has no regrets about opting to stay at Athletic Bilbao this summer, according to his brother Inaki Williams. The 22-year-old was heavily linked with a move to Barcelona this summer, but a move failed to materialise.
The Blaugrana remain in the market for a new left-forward and are expected to return for the Spaniard at the end of this season. Nico Williams also has admirers at Arsenal and Chelsea, as per reports, and could ignite a bidding war for his services in 2025.
Speaking to AS, though, Inaki Williams insisted that his brother is happy at the San Mames.
“Nico doesn’t regret his decision to stay at Athletic, he says it’s the best decision he’s made. Nico is very happy in Bilbao, and I hope we can keep playing together as long as possible. We are finally going to fulfill the dream of being able to play together in Europe,” said Inaki Williams.
The Spanish forward has endured a difficult start to the new season, registering one goal in seven games across competitions.