Barcelona are reportedly willing to include Rafinha and Juan Miranda in a deal to prise Junior Firpo away from Real Betis this summer.
The Catalan giants successfully defended their La Liga crown this past season, but changes could be made to Ernesto Valverde’s squad given the bitterly disappointing way in which their Champions League and Copa del Rey hopes ended.
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As reported by Calciomercato, via Sport, it’s suggested that they are keen to land Firpo’s signature this summer, and they could include both Rafinha and Miranda in their offer to try and sweeten the deal.
Further, it’s added that the 22-year-old has a €60m release clause in his current contract, and so perhaps the inclusion of players in exchange could bring any fee needed from Barca down significantly.
The 22-year-old impressed last season, making 29 appearances for the La Liga outfit, showcasing quality play both defensively and in attack with three goals and five assists.
Given Barcelona’s style of play and what they demand of their full-backs, Firpo would arguably be an ideal fit for the reigning Spanish champions, while the lack of quality and depth behind Jordi Alba at left back is a concern and so he could prove to be a long-term solution in that department.
Time will tell if a deal is agreed between the two sides, but the inclusion of two players in exchange could be a big step towards finding an agreement, especially considering Miranda could be viewed as a direct replacement for Firpo from a Betis perspective.
Neither Rafinha nor Miranda have played a key role for Valverde at the Nou Camp, and so offloading them could be considered sensible business to bring in serious competition for Alba moving forward.
