When the news of Barcelona’s de-facto transfer ban spread like wildfire through social media on Friday morning, you only needed one hand to count the number of seconds it took for Frenkie de Jong’s name to appear in the ‘trending’ column.
According to the Daily Mail, the La Liga leaders will not be able to register any new players this summer before first raising £178 million. And, if you were to rank the most ‘sellable’ assets available to Camp Nou boss Xavi, De Jong would feature somewhere near the very top.
Music to the ears to Erik ten Hag, then. The Manchester United boss spent pretty much most of last summer chasing the Dutchman. De Jong, his former Ajax playmaker, remains high on Ten Hag’s wishlist.
Could Arsenal take full advantage of Barcelona’s financial problems?
But Barcelona’s latest self-made predicament not only impacts which players they plan to move out the door. It also effects those they want – or wanted – to bring in.
Take Vitor Roque, for instance. The £40 million Brazilian wonderkid who Barcelona were reportedly confident of signing. Or Gabri Veiga; the Celta Vigo whizzkid with a £35 million release clause in his contract.
Manchester United may not be the only Premier League giant set to benefit from Barca’s ongoing monetary malaise. Roque and Veiga are, after all, also on Arsenal’s radar.
Technical director Edu, Goal say, has already opened talks with Roque’s representatives; the Luis Suarez-style 18-year-old all-but certain to leave Athletico Paranaenese after firing Brazil to glory at the U20 South American championships. Mikel Arteta, UOL adds, is endorsing Arsenal’s pursuit of arguably the best young striker in the continent.
Vitor Roque and Gabri Veiga are Arsenal targets
One suspects he would be thrilled to see Veiga arrive too. No one in La Liga has more than his eight goals from midfield; the Spain U21 star putting on his very own Goal of the Season competition with an array of sublime strikes. Arsenal, per Faro de Vigo, believe Veiga can be lured to the Emirates Stadium despite interest from Barcelona.
If they were not already ‘confident’ of signing Veiga last week, then they certainly should be now.
“He’s different,” Celta coach Carlos Carvalhal tells El Pais. “He has the ability to see when he has to break into the rival penalty box. He has a lot of confidence and, above all, great mental strength.
“When he went through a low point, he did not stop training until he reached another level. Reaching the elite, as he is doing, is only within the reach of the privileged.”
Move quickly – quicker than Barcelona can get De Jong out the door – and Arsenal may have a much clearer run at Veiga and Vitor Roque than they were anticipating.
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