Barcelona ready to offer star forward to deal to sign Joshua Kimmich from Bayern Munich: Reports
Barcelona are said to be willing to use Ansu Fati in their bid to convince Bayern Munich to part ways with Joshua Kimmich.
Kimmich joined Bayern from RB Leipzig in 2015 for €8.5 million. He has since established himself as a regular starter for the team, helping them lift 19 trophies so far, including seven Bundesliga titles.
The 76-cap Germany international, who started his career as a central defender, has turned into a world-class midfielder. He is also a versatile player, having deputized as a right-back several times for the Bavarians.
Barcelona have expressed interest in signing Kimmich this summer. Manager Xavi Hernandez sees the right-footed midfielder, who is renowned for his passing and vision, as the ideal player to take the team to the next level.
With Bayern reluctant to part with Kimmich, Mundo Deportivo have reported that Barca could convince them to sell the player by using youngster Ansu Fati in a player+cash swap.
Fati's once-promising career has been marred by injuries and inconsistent performances. The La Masia product has struggled to regain his pre-injury form and the Catalan giants are said to be willing to cash in on him.
Joshua Kimmich keen on playing outside Germany, open to joining Barcelona: Reports
Joshua Kimmich is said to be willing to join Barcelona this summer if Bayern Munich let him go. He is said to be looking for a fresh challenge and is open to making Spain his next destination.
A Mundo Deportivo report states that Kimmich could leave Bayern in the summer as he is keen to take up a new challenge. With La Liga giants Barcelona expressing interest in him and having worked with Bayern last summer for Robert Lewandowski's signing, they remain confident of finding a solution for Kimmich.
Talking about the possibility of playing outside Germany, Kimmich told So Foot:
"That would be an interesting challenge. I don't know what will happen in a few years, we'll see. I have a very good coach who is an advocate of attractive football. I have a lot of fun here, but somewhere in my head there is always this professional and personal challenge of one day reaching new horizons to discover."