Barcelona Transfer News Roundup: Blaugrana suffer Bruno Guimaraes blow; club eyeing Arthur Vermeeren, and more - October 16, 2023
Barcelona are preparing for their upcoming home game against Athletic Bilbao on Sunday (October 22) in La Liga. Xavi’s men are unbeaten across competitions this season and are third in the league.
Meanwhile, the Blaugrana have suffered a blow in their plans to sign Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes. Elsewhere, the Spanish champions have scouted Antwerp midfielder Arthur Vermeeren this season.
On that note, here's a look at the key Barcelona transfer stories as on October 16, 2023:
Barcelona suffer Bruno Guimaraes blow
Barcelona have suffered a setback in their quest to sign Bruno Guimaraes. Recent reports have hinted that there’s a secret clause in the Brazilian’s contract that would allow Barca to sign him for €65-70 million.
However, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has refuted those claims. Furthermore, he has added that the La Liga champions will have to pay Newcastle United €121 million to secure the signature of the 25-year-old.
Guimaraes has been a revelation since arriving at Newcastle, prompting interest from clubs across the continent.
This season, the Brazilian has registered one goal and two assists in 11 appearances across competitions. While he could have been a fine choice for Xavi’s squad, his price tag makes his move to Barca virtually impossible, considering their poor finances.
Barca eyeing Arthur Vermeeren
Barcelona are interested in Arthur Vermeeren, according to Fabrizio Romano. The Belgian midfielder has caught the eye with his recent rise at Antwerp.
The 18-year-old has appeared 15 times across competitions for the Belgian side this season, registering one goal and five assists. His efforts have earned him admirers at the Camp Nou.
In his column for Caught Offside, Romano added that Juventus are also keeping a close eye on Vermeeren.
“Barcelona and Juventus have sent their scouts to follow Arthur Vermeeren recently, but there are no official bids or concrete negotiations at this stage.
"It’s still a very open race, with nothing advanced yet. In any case, he seems like a very good player and I’m sure he will have many opportunities,” wrote Romano.
Vermeeren could struggle for game time if he joins Barca.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic opens up on time at Camp Nou
Swedish legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic has opened up on his stay at the Camp Nou. The former forward joined Barcelona from Inter Milan in 2009 and registered 22 goals in 46 appearances across competitions.
Speaking to journalist Luigi Garlando, Ibrahimovic said that his brief stint with the La Liga giants made him a stronger person.
“Going to Barcelona was a dream. Everyone was talking about Barcelona. I thought that if I could play there, I'd be in the best team in the world.
"When Barcelona called me, I was excited. I had given my best at Inter. I wanted to grow even more and face other challenges to understand and test myself. It was a challenge with myself,” said Ibrahimovic.
He continued:
"Playing in one place your whole life is fine, but I wanted to see how far I could go. In the first six months at Barcelona, well, well ... in the last six months, my way of thinking changed.
"I didn't do much on the field, but, in my mind, I became stronger. You have to go through tough times to become stronger. If it's always 'wow,' then when the blow comes, you're not ready to get out of the difficult moment."
Ibrahimovic left the La Liga champions to join AC Milan on loan in 2010 before permanently joining the Serie A giants a year later.