West Ham United are leading Southampton in the race to sign Junior Firpo as Barcelona look to sell the seldom-seen full-back to a Premier League club in the transfer window, according to Mundo Deportivo.
The Kings of Catalonia have history when it comes to selling unwanted players to English clubs.
And if Firpo is offered the opportunity to join Lucas Digne, Yerry Mina, Nelson Semedo and Andre Gomes on British soil, nobody at Camp Nou will stand in his way.
Barcelona are looking to raise funds and fast to ease their crippling debts, with player sales the most likely method to get back in the black.
And Firpo, a 24-year-old, attack-minded left-back, remains one of the club’s most sellable assets despite spending the past two seasons gathering dust on the Blaugrana bench.
Will West Ham beat Southampton to Junior Firpo?
Italian giants AC Milan have been negotiating a deal.
But, given the Rossoneri are only willing to sign Firpo on an initial loan deal, Barcelona are pushing Firpo towards the Premier League instead.
The La Liga giants need cash and they need it now. Short-term loans are little use to a side that’s almost £1 billion in debt (Goal).
Mundo Deportivo claims Southampton are interested too, having lost the long-serving Ryan Bertrand on a free transfer.
As it stands, however, West Ham are the most likely destination for Firpo, with the prospect of European football at the London Stadium giving David Moyes’ side the edge over their South Coast counterparts.
What’s more, Southampton appear to be pressing ahead with a deal for another left-sided full-back.
The “hyperactive” Romain Perraud, a player perfectly suited to Saints manager Ralph Hasenhuttl’s aggressive, counter-attacking game plan, is in advanced talks with the South Coast club.
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