Transfer Column: Xavi future, Barcelona contract talks and Modric’s decision

Matteo Moretto gives Football España exclusive information on the latest deals dominating the papers in Spain, as revealed in Fabrizio Romano’s Daily Briefing.

Luka Modric has not made a decision 100% yet. There are possibilities outside of Europe for Modric, and there was the advert from Dinamo Zagreb too, but he will have the chance to leave Europe. As we know, Carlo Ancelotti asked whether he would be interested in joining his coaching staff in January.

Real Madrid will retain Toni Kroos, he will renew. Modric is considering the role he could have next season with Real Madrid. Right now he isn’t playing much, he doesn’t have the role that he used to, and he’s weighing up how that might change too. He will think it over.

It’s true that Barcelona are doing the numbers to improve Pedri’s contract, and it’s true that Barcelona are in talks with Pau Cubarsi, what Mundo Deportivo say is correct, but there have been contacts for some time. Barcelona want to advance with that, and they want to have his contract tied up by the end of the season. There is full disposition from the player and the club to get a deal done.

With Ronald Araujo, we have to wait a bit, the two parties are speaking, but there have been no concrete advances in the talks. When a large offer arrives, we will discuss it, but so far, no change.

I think we have to wait a bit to see who the new manager will be first of all. As Xavi said, and I can confirm, Xavi’s decision has not changed. President Joan Laporta will continue to try and get him to change his mind.

My feeling is that it will not be easy, but clearly Barcelona will try to keep him, because they feel like he is the perfect person to continue a project that he himself has been building. From Xavi’s point of view, as he mentioned though, it’s more of a personal thing, about the exhaustion, the mental burden, a lot of different things. Right now, nobody knows who will be Barcelona manager next season.

The club want to have things a little more clear by the end of April or start of May. All of the potential moves that are being spoken about, first we have to work out who might leave. Without a large exit, it’s very difficult for there to be a costly signing in the summer.