Barcelona News Roundup: Barca president wants to sign David Alaba, Premier League striker willing to take wage cut to join Blaugrana and more - 9 March 2021
Barcelona can finally proceed to make decisions on the transfer front now that there is a new president in office.
Barcelona have a big match coming up on Wednesday where they will try to overturn a 4-1 deficit against Paris Saint-Germain. They have been in good form domestically and have worked their way back into the La Liga title race. Joan Laporta has been elected as the new president and the club will be sketching out their plans for the upcoming summer transfer window.
Without further ado, let's take a look at the top stories involving Barcelona from 9 March 2021.
Johan Cruyff's son says he is optimistic about Lionel Messi staying
Barcelona legend Johan Cruyff's son Jordi Cruyff has offered his opinion on Lionel Messi's future. Messi has been tipped to leave the club this summer. He had informed the club last summer that he wanted to leave but no club could afford to sign him at the time.
Speaking to Cadena Ser, Cruyff said he is optimistic about Lionel Messi staying at Barcelona beyond the end of the season but also admitted that it is entirely up to the Argentine. He said:
“I don't know. I think there is only one person who can answer it, who is the person involved.
“The fact that he was pictured at Camp Nou with his son [casting his vote for the presidency], the way he celebrated the comeback against Sevilla ... that comes from within. It is speculating more than anything else because only he has the answer.”
Sergio Aguero happy to join Barcelona and is willing to take a paycut
Sergio Aguero is expected to leave Manchester City in the summer. He has entered the final months of his contract and is unlikely to extend before the summer and as such, he is expected to leave as a free agent in the summer.
According to the reliable Edu Polo of Mundo Deportivo, Sergio Aguero would be happy to join Barcelona. He claims that the Manchester City striker's agent had already contacted Joan Laporta's camp during the election campaign days to inform him of Aguero's willingness to join them.
It is further claimed that Aguero knows that he will need to take a wage cut and he is ready to do it in order to move to Barcelona.
Joan Laporta eager to sign David Alaba
New Barcelona president Joan Laporta is eager to sign David Alaba in the summer when he becomes a free agent, according to reports. The Austrian international's contract expires in the summer. Bayern Munich were willing to extend his contract but were not ready to meet his wage demands.
Earlier reports have suggested that David Alaba already has a pre-contractual agreement in place with Real Madrid. However, the latest reports claim that Joan Laporta has made signing David Alaba a priority.