A series of updates surrounding the efforts of La Liga giants Barcelona on the transfer front have come to the fore online this week.
Bayer bound
The first centers on a confirmed departure from the Camp Nou, which may have gone somewhat under the radar.
The player to have moved on comes in the form of Iker Bravo.
Bravo, a 16-year-old attacker, had long been viewed as a potential star in the making in Catalunya. The starlet generally lines out in a centre-forward role, but is also more than comfortable featuring from the right flank.
Such versatility saw Bravo play a starring role for Barca’s Cadete A side last time out, en route to an eventual league title.
However, after the Blaugrana’s latest contract renewal offer failed to meet his demands, the teenage talent recently came to the decision to depart the Camp Nou.
The likes of AS Roma and Juventus are understood to have expressed an interest in Bravo’s services, but, in the end, the striker opted to put pen to paper on terms with Bundesliga outfit Bayer Leverkusen.
🆕👦⚫️❤️‼️
🇪🇸 Iker Bravo (16) has joined the Bayer 04 youth academy from FC Barcelona! pic.twitter.com/PRNs16Kxav
— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) July 28, 2021
West Ham in for Braithwaite?
The next update surrounding ongoings in Catalunya also hones in on a potential departure from the Blaugrana’s ranks.
This one, though, would likely prove considerably more lucrative.
Martin Braithwaite is fresh off the back of an altogether hit-and-miss first full season on the books of Barcelona, after joining the club from Leganes during the winter window last year.
All told, the Dane racked up a solid if unspectacular 7 goals and 4 assists across all competitions in 2020/21, the kind of production which was always likely to result in calls for his sale this summer.
And, with Braithwaite having since gone on to impress with his country at Euro 2020, it appears that those Barca fans keen to see the 30-year-old moved on over the coming weeks could yet have their wish granted.
Interest has been forthcoming from the Premier League throughout the summer, with one club – West Ham – persistently tipped as a potential landing spot.
It even appeared as though a major development in the Braithwaite to London Stadium saga had been forthcoming earlier today.
This came in the form of claims that the Hammers’ board had struck a 15 million Euro deal with their Camp Nou counterparts:
Barça have accepted a 15M offer for Martin Braithwaite from West Ham. The only thing missing is the player’s final ‘ok’ to the move.
— @sport pic.twitter.com/NHTTK1MRiy
— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) July 30, 2021
Such assurances, however, have since been firmly shut down.
As per transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, West Ham, to this point, have not tabled an official proposal for Braithwaite:
Barcelona have not received any bid from West Ham for Martin Braithwaite, as of today. Sergiño Dest will stay and he’s not going to consider any proposal. 🔵🔴 #FCB
Miralem Pjanic expected to leave but Juventus are now only focused on Locatelli [and Toni Kroos-Juve, NO chance].
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 30, 2021
A transfer developing before the close of the summer window, though, cannot be ruled out.
Spurs out in front
Last up on our list of Barcelona transfer updates on Friday comes a fresh insight into the club’s links to Cristian Romero.
Atalanta defender Romero has of course proven one of the hottest commodities on the market this summer, on the back of a stellar campaign with La Dea last time out.
Premier League outfit Tottenham have long been viewed as the front-runners to clinch a deal for the Argentine, albeit with the board in Bergamo demanding a premium fee for the club’s star stopper:
Tottenham still in negotiation for Cristian Romero but no agreement yet on €55m fee – he’s the priority. 100%. ⚪️ #THFC
Plan B: open talks to sign 3 different defenders with same amount. Tomiyasu [€18m], Milenkovic [€15m] and Zouma [€25m].
Caleta-Car, NOT even an option.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 26, 2021
As such, it came as something of a surprise to see the name of one of European football’s heavyweights – Barca – tipped to hijack Spurs’ plans over the last couple of days.
The Catalans are known to be in a difficult spot financially, with Romero’s hefty price-tag having been presumed as too considerable an obstacle to overcome.
On Friday, though, such speculation has been put to bed once and for all. The board at the Camp Nou are not pursuing any kind of move for the Atalanta star, it has been confirmed, with Tottenham the only side currently pushing to complete a deal:
(🌕) Barcelona are currently NOT involved in the race for Cristian Romero, only Spurs. @FabrizioRomano #Transfers 🇦🇷⚪️
— Reshad Rahman (@ReshadRahman_) July 30, 2021
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