Barcelona Transfer News Roundup: Catalans eyeing Luis Diaz, Aston Villa backed to sign Ronald Araujo, and more - May 26, 2024
Barcelona are preparing to face Sevilla in La Liga in their last game of this season. The Catalans are set to end the campaign without a trophy and in second place in the league table.
Meanwhile, the Spanish giants are interested in Luis Diaz. Elsewhere, Aston Villa have been tipped to secure the services of Ronald Araujo this summer.
On that note, let's look at the major Barcelona transfer stories from May 26, 2024.
Barcelona eyeing Luis Diaz
Barcelona are working to secure the services of Luis Diaz this summer, according to AS. The Colombian forward has been on the La Liga giants' radar for a while now and it now appears that the club are eager to take him to Camp Nou.
Diaz has been in decent form for Liverpool this season, registering 13 goals and five assists from 51 outings across competitions. His efforts have apparently convinced Catalans sporting director Deco, who has already been in touch with the player's camp regarding a move.
Barcelona are looking to strengthen their attack ahead of the new season. Raphinha is likely to leave this summer and Diaz could be an upgrade on the Brazilian.
The 27-year-old's contract with the Merseyside club runs until 2027 and with Jurgen Klopp gone, his future remains uncertain. However, prising him away won't be easy, especially due to their financial troubles.
Aston Villa backed to sign Ronald Araujo by former scout
Former Aston Villa scout Bryan King believes the club can secure the services of Ronald Araujo this summer. The Uruguayan defender is staring at an uncertain future at the moment, despite being a key figure at Barcelona.
Araujo has registered 37 appearances across competitions this season, all but four of which have been starts. However, recent reports have suggested that the Catalans could cash in on him to address their financial situation.
Speaking to Aston Villa News, King added that the Villans can sign the 25-year-old for less than his £68m quoted price.
“Signing a player of that calibre would be a wise move considering they have qualified for the UEFA Champions League. I would think that Villa could agree on a lower fee than the £68 million which has been quoted because of Barcelona’s financial difficulties,” said King.
Bayern Munich and Manchester United are also hot on Araujo's heels at the moment.
Fabrizio Romano outlines the reasons for Xavi sack
Fabrizio Romano has outlined the reason why Barcelona decided to part ways with Xavi this summer. Last month, the Spanish manager performed a U-turn on his previous decision to leave this summer at the behest of the club.
However, the Catalans announced earlier this week that they will part ways with Xavi at the end of the season. It was also mentioned that the Sevilla tie will be his last game in charge.
In his column for Caught Offside, Romano stated that the Spaniard paid the price for his treatment of Vitor Roque, and his comments on the Catalans' finances.
“Laporta was not happy with some decisions made by Xavi, for example, what happened with Vitor Roque was, for him, unacceptable. Also crucial, as I told you, was the press conference before the Almeria game when Xavi explained the difficulties he faced with regards to the financial situation at the club,” wrote Romano.
He continued:
“Laporta was literally furious about that. He wanted a completely different communication, not just for that press conference, but for the entirety of next season. Not to say fake things, but just to bring a positive atmosphere to the team, the squad and the club. He didn’t want Xavi to go public and say the things he did, so the tension between Laporta and Xavi was really big in the recent weeks.”
Romano has already mentioned that Hansi Flick is set to take charge at Camp Nou this summer.