Chelsea winger Willian and Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Adrien Rabiot have reportedly emerged as Barcelona’s top transfer targets.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Barca believe the pair are best placed to strengthen a midfield that has lost Andres Iniesta to Vissel Kobe and Carles Alena to injury, is likely to lose Paulinho, Rafinha and Andre Gomes and gained a player in Arthur, who may need a period of adaptation.
The newspaper explains the Blaugrana are willing to negotiate for the €80m-rated Brazilian, hoping his desire to play at Camp Nou and their rapport with his representative Kia Joorabchian can drive the price down.
Although not a Barca profile in the traditional sense, MD claims his ‘vertical and powerful style’ and ability to play out wide in a 4-4-2 formation would ‘complement’ Ajax starlet Frenkie de Jong – who is expected to arrive next year – and Rabiot.
The 23-year-old is described as a midfielder with ‘finesse, tactical sense and breadth’, given he stands at 1.91m.
He is also out of contract next summer, but the publication warns PSG chief Nasser Al-Khelaifi does want to sell him out of pride, even if he risks losing the player for nothing.
Consequently, Barca would be focusing on Willian, who turns 30 in August, before looking into the possibility of signing Rabiot for a fee ‘in proportion to his contractual situation’.
