You’d struggle to find too many Arsenal fans with a pang of sympathy in their heart for the travails of Barcelona.
A Barcelona side who raided The Gunners for Cesc Fabregas, Alex Hleb and Thierry Henry, to name but three, and knocked Arsene Wenger’s side out of the Champions League on more than one occasion.
After years of financial mismanagement, Barca are now paying the price. While Arsenal are operating from a position of almost unprecedented strength in the transfer market last summer – best epitomised by Declan Rice putting Mikel Arteta’s side at the top of his wishlist and eventually sealing a £105 million move from West Ham United – Barcelona’s issues were summed up pretty succinctly by club legend Xavi a few days before his rather unceremonious, and typically muddled, departure.
“We don’t have the privilege of being able to sign who we want (anymore),” Xavi said, via The Athletic. “We have to adapt.”
Arsenal now have clear advantage over Barcelona
If reports are to be believed, Xavi’s very public admonishment of Barcelona’s financial situation did not go down well at all with president Joan Laporta. It was allegedly a major factor in the iconic playmaker’s eventual dismissal.
But while Laporta himself has attempted in vain to put a more positive spin on things – Barcelona, he argues, don’t need big-money signings anyway when they’ve got La Masia to fall back on – the message coming out of the Camp Nou is that high-cost additions are a thing of the past for now.
“Just as we don’t need a big transfer in terms of the budget, I don’t think there is a need to make big purchases,” Laporta tells Mundo Deportivo.
And this is where Arsenal come in.
HITC understands that Martin Zubimendi, Real Sociedad’s deep-lying playmaker, remains The Gunners number one midfield target. And while there has been some frustration on Arsenal’s end about the slow pace of developments, at least the prospect of Barcelona stealing a march on their old transfer market rivals looks slim.
Arsenal, HITC adds, would be willing to trigger the £51 million release clause in Zubimendi’s contract.
There will not, in contrast, be any similar offers coming from the Camp Nou in the near future, Laporta suggesting that Barcelona will likely have to think outside the box – either by promoting from within or by changing an existing player’s position – in order to solve their issues in the number six spot.
La Liga giants still under financial pressures
“We are studying the roles and positions of the team to be strengthened together with (new head coach Hansi) Flick,” Laporta explains.
“(Andreas) Christensen has played as a defensive midfielder, but it is a position in which an addition must be made. Players from Barca Atletic will be promoted, such as Marc Casado, who is having a phenomenal season.
“Maybe we need a wide player, a born winger, and maybe something at a defensive level. We have a very balanced squad and, with the reserve team, we can complete some demarcations.
“Let us maintain stability, the sense of responsibility and the transition towards economic recovery.”
HITC understands that, if Arsenal turn their back on Zubimendi for the time being, the Premier League runners-up could instead shift their focus to Benfica wonderkid Joao Neves, Everton enforcer Amadou Onana and Newcastle United talisman Bruno Guimaraes.
Arsenal also remain keen on Douglas Luiz, two years after a £25 million bid was rejected by Aston Villa.
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