At FC Barcelona right now all efforts are focused on making the star signing of Xavi Hernández’s new project a reality: Polish striker Robert Lewandowski. It is the priority objective and the piece where the rest of the first team reinforcements will pivot. With Andreas Christensen and Frank Kessié already signed upon arrival with the letter of freedom under his arm -they cannot be officially announced because they could not be registered due to financial ‘fair play’-, the priority is to close the transfer of the Polish international . Bayern Munich is presented as a very hard nut to crack, although the unequivocal steps that the striker is taking are considered key for the Bavarian club to finally agree to negotiate with Barcelona, tBearing in mind that Lewandowski’s contract ends next year. The price that could end up coming out would be around 40 million euros.
And if Lewandowski presents himself as the great star of Xavi Hernández’s project, there is another proper name that has been sounding strongly in recent weeks. We are talking about Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva. It turns out that the Portuguese player is looking for a change of scenery, according to what they say from England, and his great dream would be to sign for Barcelona, a club to which he has had a special devotion since he was little.
Silva, with a contract until 2025, has a market value close to 80 million euros, so his arrival at Barcelona could only be consummated if the club gets rid of some important asset in midfield. In this case, Frenkie de Jong would be the great victim, having a very similar market value.
“We have to be realists. It is a very, very complicated operation”, they assume from the club, who do not hesitate to admit that it would be an exchange that could end up being very beneficial for the Blaugrana. However, several actors with conflicting interests are involved in this operation. On the one hand, City, which will hardly let one of its stars escape; on the other hand, Frenkie de Jong, who continues to show his unwavering desire to fulfill his contract with Barcelona, on the other hand, Silva himself, who has not yet made a public statement, and lastly, FC Barcelona, which is not in for great joy either with the wage bill squeezing up to the neck.
In fact, in the club they prefer to be more realistic and direct their efforts towards viable or a priori more acceptable operations. After Lewandowski, the other folders that will try to close will be Marcos Alonso and César Azpilicueta, from Chelsea, and Raphinha, from Leeds. From here, it will be the turn to dream of the incorporation of a ‘top’ central defender who can cover the possible vacancy of Gerard Piqué next season due to his obvious physical problems.