Barcelona Transfer News Roundup: Premier League midfielder says he wants to play for Barca, Blaugrana monitoring 22-year-old Valencia star and more - 21 October 2022
Barcelona need to find a long-term replacement for Sergio Busquets with the veteran midfielder tipped to leave the club next summer.
Barca signed a raft of world-class players and also managed to clear much of the deadwood at the club this past summer transfer window. They are now laying the groundwork for future transfer windows.
Without further ado, let's take a look at the top stories involving Barcelona from 21 October 2022.
Frenkie de Jong says he doesn't care where he plays for Barcelona
Frenkie de Jong started in midfield for Barca in their 3-0 win over Villarreal in midweek. He produced a very good performance and has given Xavi something to think about going forward. In his post-match interview, De Jong said he doesn't care where he plays for Barca. He said (Barca Blaugranes):
“After the bad results against Inter and Real Madrid, we needed to win.
“If you win games, there is a better atmosphere in the locker room and your morale goes up. Villarreal is a very good team and we played very well. A 3-0 at half-time is very good.
“I don’t care where I play, but I feel comfortable when I participate in the game, when I playthe ball a lot and tonight I touched the ball a lot.”
Barca monitoring Hugo Guillamon
According to Mundo Deportivo, Barca are keeping tabs on Valencia midfielder Hugo Guillamon. The 22-year-old has a release clause worth €50 million in his contract. Guillamon joined Valencia's academy at the age of eight and has risen through the ranks at the club.
He earned a call-up to the Spanish national team last year and has an outside chance of making it to the 2022 FIFA World Cup squad. The Blaugrana are looking at players who could be long-term replacements for Sergio Busquets, whose current contract with the club expires next summer.
Guillamon has proven to be a good holding midfielder for Valencia in the recent past. Barca are navigating a financial crisis, but they might be able to trigger the €50 million release clause.
Ruben Neves says playing Barca would be a privilege
Ruben Neves has been heavily linked with Barca as they continue their search for a long-term replacement for Sergio Busquets. In an interview with Channel 11 (via Mundo Deportivo), Neves spoke about the prospect of joining Barcelona. He said:
“Who wouldn’t want to play for Barcelona? If you ask in general, all the players want to play for Barça, one of the best clubs in the world. It’s a privilege for me to be associated with this team.”
Neves is widely viewed as one of the best holding midfielders in the English top flight. He is valued at €40 million as his contract set to expire in 2024.
#FCB
Ruben Neves on Barcelona links: “If you ask in general, all players want to play for Barca! It’s one of the best clubs in the world. It's a privilege for me to be linked to this team”. 🔵🔴 #FCB
“Who wouldn't want to play for Barcelona? It’s normal”, he added. https://t.co/aJirDMl8cM