Barcelona may have missed out on Lionel Messi this summer, but they may look to bring in one of his supply lines.
It is said that Xavi Hernandez is looking for a midfielder that is comfortable with the ball at their feet, and capable of threading a final pass through defences. Recently they were linked with Villarreal’s Alex Baena, but MD say that his €60m release clause will make any deal impossible.
However they go on to say his Villarreal teammate Giovani Lo Celso may also be of interest. The Argentina international was a key part of the Copa America-winning side of 2021, but missed out on the World Cup due to injury. Lo Celso has been on loan at the Yellow Submarine for the past two seasons, but will return to Tottenham Hotspur this summer.
With two years left on his deal, it is not yet known what the future holds for Lo Celso, or whether new manager Ange Postecoglou will want to have him back. However the Catalan daily highlight that he would be more affordable than Baena.
If Spurs and Postecoglou do want Lo Celso to stay, it would be hard to imagine the Blaugrana have the financial might to persuade them otherwise. Mateu Alemany could well suggest a loan move for Lo Celso again, if they want a cheaper option.
