Barcelona are confident that they will be able to get back to their salary limit this summer allowing them to sign without restrictions, and ultimately, to sign a pivot in midfield.
Manager Xavi Hernandez had signalled the lack of a natural option there, save for Oriol Romeu, as his biggest mistake this season. Sport say that Barcelona believe they will bring in that player this summer, with Joshua Kimmich the favourite for the role, as the Blaugrana have held talks with him, and if he is to leave Bayern Munich, feel that he would be happy to sign for them.
Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi is another favourite of Xavi’s but his signing is seen as impossible, as Barcelona do not have the money to pay his €60m release clause.
These plans will be thrown into the air though, if Xavi is indeed sacked by Barcelona. Part of Kimmich’s desire to sign for Barcelona is attributed to Xavi, whom he has spoken with on a number of occasions, and was a childhood idol for the German midfielder. It remains to be seen how a prospective new manager would see the matter.