Barcelona earmark surprise position for summer transfer plans

Barcelona, like most clubs, are in the midst of their planning for the summer transfer window, and a surprising shift in their plans has been reported. The Blaugrana are still unsure of their capacity to strengthen this summer due to their salary limit situation.

The headline from a recent MD report on their transfer plans was that Barcelona will no longer pursue winger Nico Williams this summer, or indeed any left winger this summer. The Blaugrana have been heavily linked with both Williams and Luis Diaz over the last year, but it appears both have slipped from the agenda.

With Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres both performing well through the middle, Barcelona will forge ahead without a number nine signing too, postponing their search for Lewandowski’s successor until next year. Perhaps the most surprising part of their transfer shift are the positions they will pursue though.

It was well known that Barcelona want a right-back as an alternative to Jules Kounde, and if Andreas Christensen and Ronald Araujo were to leave, the Blaugrana have agreed terms with Jonathan Tah. However after the emergence of Marc Casado and Marc Bernal, combined with the resurgene of Frenkie de Jong, few saw Barcelona pursuing another midfielder this summer.

Already opportunities are hard to come by in the middle of the pitch, with Pedri, de Jong and Dani Olmo seemingly first choice. Fermin Lopez, Gavi, Pablo Torre Casado and Bernal are all strong alternatives to that trio, if somewhat similar in the roles they play.

The Blaugrana were heavily linked with a central midfielder last summer as Barcelona struggled without Sergio Busquets. Recently it has been reported that free agent Thomas Partey is keen on a move to Barcelona, while Tijjani Reijnders has impressed the Blaugrana this season at AC Milan, perhaps most notably during their win over Real Madrid.