Ronald Koeman is determined to bring Liverpool ace Gini Wijnaldum to Barcelona but, according to Mundo Deportivo, the La Liga giants are prioritising a new deal for teen sensation Ilaix Moriba instead.
No footballers are identical, of course.
But there are certainly a few similarities between a veteran Premier League champion and a teenager 12 years his junior.
Like Wijnaldum, Moriba is the sort of unselfish, unflappable central midfielder who tends to raise the level of everyone else around him.
Steady rather than spectacular, the Liverpool ace and the Barcelona kid tend to go about their business with minimal fuss, their balance, skill and style in tight areas integral for a side who tend to dominate possession in the final third.
But is there space at the Camp Nou for both Wijnaldum and Moriba?
MD claim that, while Koeman is desperate to be reunited with his former Holland international in Catalonia, the Barcelona bosses have a different idea in mind.
After 18-year-old Moriba joined Oscar Mingueza, Ansu Fati, Pedri and co in forcing his way into Koeman’s starting XI – producing a goal in three assists in his first five La Liga matches – Barcelona would rather tie him down to a new deal than sign Wijnaldum on a free in July.
Moriba’s current deal runs until 2022.
While there is no doubting the ability of a 30-year-old midfielder who remains one of the first names on Jurgen Klopp’s team-sheet, it makes more sense to retain a player with a decade or more left at the top level.
Especially when you consider that Moriba, a La Masia graduate, has been steeped in Barcelona’s traditions since the age of eight.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
