Barcelona are hoping to be busy this summer, but signings are likely to depend on what sales can be made during the upcoming transfer window. The club’s well-documented financial woes means that players need to leave first, and a possible move could open the door to another arrival.
It is no secret that Barcelona are targeting the signing of a new goalkeeper and left winger. Joan Garcia will be the new number one upon joining from Espanyol, while Luis Diaz is the club’s primary target for the attacking position.
And on top of these two targets, it has now been reported by Sport that Barcelona have stepped up efforts to sign a new left-back.
Last week, it was reported that current backup left-back Gerard Martin could move to the Premier League this summer. The The 23-year-old, who made 46 appearances across all competitions last season, first attracted interest from Wolves, and now he is being pursued by AFC Bournemouth.
Barcelona are open to selling Martin, and they hope to receive €12m for him. And if a deal does go through, the idea is for a replacement to be signed, especially considering that Alex Valle has already been sold to Cesc Fabregas’ Como.
In the event of Martin’s departure, Barcelona have started to consider left-back targets. And at this stage, the leading candidate to be sought is former La Masia player Alex Grimaldo. The 29-year-old has been excellent for Bayer Leverkusen since joining from Benfica two years ago, but with Xabi Alonso joining Real Madrid, he could be the latest player to leave the Bundesliga giants.
Grimaldo is reported to have a release clause of €15m, which would be a bargain price for a player of his quality. It remains to be seen whether Barcelona make a serous effort to seek a deal, but for now, it is unlikely to happen unless Martin goes.
