Barcelona ready to make €10 million offer to sign Serie A superstar - Reports
Barcelona are ready to make an offer of €10 million to Juventus, as they look to sign Serie A winger Federico Chiesa. The 26-year-old could be a rather cost-effective option for the cash-strapped Spanish giants, compared to other wingers in the transfer market.
La Blaugrana have been seeking out attacking reinforcements, with much of their transfer plans focused on signing Nico WIlliams from Athletic Bilbao. The Spanish winger was one of the most exciting players in La Liga last season, scoring five goals and providing 11 assists in 31 league games.
Rumors reveal that Barca could push for Rafael Leao, who impressed for AC Milan last season, scoring nine and assisting nine in 35 Serie A games. However, there have also been links between Barca and Federico Chiesa, and now, an update has emerged.
Juventus wish to sell Chiesa this summer, and their small asking price of €15 million has been an attractive option for clubs. However, a report from Italian journalist Mirko di Natale (via Barca Universal) has revealed that Barcelona are only willing to pay €10 million for Chiesa's services.
There are no guarantees that the giants of Turin would be looking to accept their lower bid. However, they are looking to get his massive wages, worth €6 million, off their books, and selling him for cheap may be a better option than keeping him.
His high salary will also be a cause for concern for Barcelona, who have been dealing with financial struggles in recent years. They notably were unable to hold onto legendary playmaker Lionel Messi, who may have finished his career at Camp Nou under different circumstances.
Hansi Flick speaks about midfielder's potential exit from Barcelona
While Barcelona are working hard in the transfer market to sign new players, they could see a number of current stars leave the club. One particular player who has been linked to an exit is Ilkay Gundogan, who only moved to Camp Nou from Manchester City last summer.
He has been heavily linked to a potential move to join Jose Mourinho at Fenerbahce in Turkey. This has led to Barca manager Hansi Flick providing a small update on Gundogan's future with the Spanish giants. He said (via GOAL):
"As you know, he has had some problems and felt a bit dizzy. We agreed that he would stay at home and I have spoken to him to see how he felt, but what we said to each other remains between us. I have the feeling that he will stay."
This came after the 33-year-old midfielder did not participate in Barcelona's opening match of the season against Valencia on August 17. La Blaugrana won the match 2-1, with Robert Lewandowski scoring a brace to hand them all three points.