Both Barcelona and Manchester City will be in need of midfield reinforcements next summer, and they’ve reportedly set their sights on the same solution.
While Fernandinho and Yaya Toure are out of contract next summer, Sergio Busquets isn’t getting any younger as he will turn 30 next July and will eventually need to be replaced by the Catalan giants.
That’s not to say that that trio mentioned above don’t still have plenty left to offer, but according to Diario Gol, as reported by AS, it appears as though they’re set to be replaced sooner rather than later.
Barcelona and City are undoubtedly looking in the right place though as Borussia Dortmund’s Julian Weigl, 22, is the man in question at the centre of a possible transfer scrap. He has impressed for club and country so far in his career and through his performances, it’s easy to see that he has a bright future ahead of him.
In turn, losing him would be a major blow for Dortmund, but given that he recently signed a contract extension until 2021, the Bundesliga giants will be in a strong position to make their hefty demands.
Nevertheless, with Barca seemingly tailoring their transfer strategy to target young players with real promise to help them build a new cycle at the club, to follow on from the signings of Nelson Semedo and Ousmane Dembele this past summer, Weigl certainly fits the bill.
The biggest concern now though is whether or not they’ll be able to compete financially, both in terms of reaching an agreement on a fee with Dortmund and satisfying the German international’s demands, as City have shown in recent windows that they’re not scared to splash out significant fees on top targets.
While the appeal of playing for the Catalan giants will undoubtedly be huge given their history and prestige, playing under one of the best coaches in world football in Guardiola and competing for silverware with City isn’t a bad option either.