Barcelona president Joan Laporta identifies 2 PSG defenders as transfer targets: Reports
According to El Nacional, Barcelona president Joan Laporta has identified Juan Bernat and Nordi Mukiele as the two players to strengthen the team.
Paris Saint-German (PSG) currently have 41 players on their roster and are expected to perform a squad clearout. Mukiele and Bernat are not among the players that are to be sold. However, Barca's interest could change the scenario.
Jordi Alba recently left the Catalan club as a free agent. Hence, there is room for improvement in the left side of Barca's defense. Bernat, an experienced campaigner in European football, could prove to be a key signing.
The former Bayern Munich star has so far made 128 appearances for the Parisian club. The 30-year-old is contracted with the Parisians until the end of the 2024-25 season. His estimated market value is around €10 million, a sum that the Blaugrana can afford.
Mukiele, on the other hand, plays as at right-back, a position Barcelona are keen on bolstering. While Joao Cancelo and Pablo Maffeo are the club's primary targets, Mukiele could prove to be a cost-effective option.
The 25-year-old is contracted with the Parisian club until the end of the 2026-27 season. He has an estimated market value of €18 million. Mukiele has so far made 25 appearances for PSG in his young career, registering three assists.
Former Barcelona coach Luis Enrique spoke about taking charge of PSG
During his Barcelona stint, Luis Enrique established himself as one of the best coaches in world football. His team played attacking football and the Spanish coach won the European treble in the 2014-15 season.
Enrique has now taken charge of PSG as their new manager. The Spaniard spoke about the pressure of expectation of such a high-profile job. Speaking to the media, Enrique said (via GOAL):
"I love this pressure and this mission, it’s fantastic to have this pressure. There are plenty of teams that have the same dream, sometimes with more experience, but that doesn’t mean we can’t reach this level. The Champions League is almost unfair, a bad game and you’re out. We want to get the best out of the team. It’s a challenge. It is substantial."
Enrique takes over from Christophe Galtier as PSG's manager. This marks the former Barcelona coach's return to management after he stepped down as Spain's manager following La Roja's last 16 exit from the 2022 FIFA World Cup.