Barcelona president is particularly keen on a young forward, not allowing Barcelona’s dire financial position limit his thinking.
Diario Sport is reporting that Laporta believes the Serie A star possesses similar qualities to the players Barcelona have already recruited and that the style of play at Barcelona would bring out the best in the player.
The player has been able to match his impressive scoring and assist numbers, including last season’s 15 goals and 14 assists, and this season’s 11 goals and 12 assists, with many games to go.
Not to mention the extra off-the-pitch challenges he has faced, to stay amongst Europe’s elite.
The player in question is Rafael Leao, the Portuguese international valued at €75 million, whose skillful style of play has made him a long-term target of Barcelona.
Joan Laporta sees Leao as a player who could certainly thrive at Camp Nou.
However, the dynamics of the squad pose a challenge. Raphinha has managed to cement himself in the left-wing position as a result of his solid performances this season, and therefore complicating Leao’s chances to move into the starting line-up.
Barcelona mulled over a deal for Leao last summer; however, a lack of time and finances ultimately relegated this pursuit to the background.
However, discussions have been brought back into conversation, mainly due to Leao’s future now being at the forefront, with competition for another target such as Nico Williams.
Leao is willing to join Barcelona, and while his brother takes care of his footballing business, agent Jorge Mendes’ role could facilitate negotiations.
However, the large transfer fee, as has been the case over previous transfer windows, will be a substantial hurdle for Barcelona to overcome.
Barcelona’s recovery from financial adversity does not help them spend excessively, meaning Laporta’s adoration of Leao may require some sense of creativity to come to fruition.
The 26 year-old’s ability to play anywhere in attack and his records and output in Serie A at times over the last few seasons, would mean that if he signed for 2025-26 season, he could bolster Barcelona’s attack, if they can negotiate the complexities of the transfer market and squad management in order to include him in the final group of recruits.
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