Manchester City have emerged as formidable contenders in the race for Barcelona target, threatening to derail Barcelona’s transfer plans.
Under the guidance of manager Hansi Flick, Barcelona has been on a mission to add a dependable right-back to their squad for what they hope to be a deeper run in Champions League action.
Unfortunately, financial considerations continue to hinder Barcelona’s transfer window activities, leaving them vulnerable to rival clubs with significantly greater financial resources.
According to Steve Kay, Manchester City has begun discussions with the player’s current club, which threatens to upset Barcelona’s plans.
The player is Denzel Dumfries, a 29-year-old right-back from the Netherlands who is known as a speedy, strong, and attacking player.
With a €25 million release clause about to expire, Manchester City have moved quickly to negotiate with Inter, as they look to try and replace Kyle Walker, who left for Burnley.
Dumfries’ attributes fit well with Guardiola’s tactical demands, making him one of the main targets for the champions both in the league and in Europe.
Barcelona, who had been eyeing Dumfries for many weeks, will have to compete with City and their financial firepower compared to Barcelona’s severely constrained budgets under La Liga’s Financial Fair Play requirements.
This news blows a hole in Barcelona’s transfer plans, with Flick being very clear that he identified the right-back position as a priority.
While they already have options in their squad, such as Jules Kounde and Julian Araujo, Dumfries would have been a dynamic addition to strengthen their defensive and attacking transitions.
As Manchester City continues to move forward, Barcelona will have to regroup, possibly looking toward alternative targets such as Marc Pubill or Andrei Rațiu, or risk heading into the season with squad gaps unresolved.
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