Barcelona Transfer News Roundup: Barca want to sign Wolves forward, Joan Laporta confident club can sign Erling Haaland and more - 8 January 2021
Barcelona will travel to take on Granada tonight. They are currently fifth in the La Liga table and will not want to settle for anything less than a win.
The January transfer window is now open and the Catalans have already secured the services of Ferran Torres from Manchester City. This is expected to be a hectic month for the club as they look to bring reinforcements to the squad and get rid of some deadwood.
Without further ado, let's take a look at the top stories involving Barcelona from 8 January 2022.
Barcelona ready to sell Sergino Dest for €40 million
US international Sergino Dest is among the players that Barcelona are willing to offload this month. The young right-back has reportedly failed to impress new manager Xavi Hernandez. As a result, the Catalans are ready to sell him for the right price.
Barcelona currently have enough options at right-back and Xavi doesn't rate Dest due to his defensive vulnerabilities. According to El Nacional, Chelsea are interested in the 21-year-old. The Blues' right-back Reece James tore his hamstring recently and this has forced them to look for reinforcements.
Chelsea are willing to offer €30 million for Dest. However, Joan Laporta reportedly values the player at around €60 million. Despite that, Barcelona would be willing to sell Dest if Chelsea offer €40 million, as per the report.
Joan Laporta tells his trusted people he will sign Erling Haaland
Catalonian journalist Oriol Domenech has claimed on TV3 (via Albert Roge) that Barcelona president Joan Laporta is confident about signing Erling Haaland. He claims that Laporta has told his inner circle that he will sign the Norwegian striker in the summer.
Laporta has already held multiple meetings with Haaland's agent Mino Raiola. Deportes Cuatro reported earlier this week that the super agent has assured Laporta that Haaland will join Barcelona provided they can raise the necessary funds.
Haaland has a release clause of €75 million but the eventual cost of signing him will be much higher than that. The 21-year-old will demand a very high signing-on fee and wage package. Super agent Mino Raiola's fee will is expected to be pretty high as well.
Barcelona want to sign Adama Traore
Barcelona are reportedly interested in signing Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Adama Traore in January, according to Sport. The Catalans are apprehensive about Ousmane Dembele signing a new deal and are thus looking for alternatives.
They are ready to battle Tottenham Hotspur for Traore's services. The 25-year-old is a La Masia product and rose through the ranks at the club. However, he could not make an impact in the senior team and left the club in 2015.
It is further claimed in the report that Traore is open to a Barcelona return. Spurs have reportedly already offered a lucrative deal to the player. It will be interesting to see how this story pans out over the course of the next few weeks.
Despite being a winger who terrorizes opponents with his pace and dribbling ability, Traore is yet to score or assist after making 20 appearances this season.