Barcelona: Gundogan Deal and Transfer Speculations
Barcelona has kicked off their summer transfer window with the signing of Ilkay Gundogan from Manchester City. The deal seems to be finalized, pending Gundogan’s farewell to his current club. However, there is a catch – Barcelona must register Gundogan by the 12th of August, or he will be able to leave the club for free.
This move comes after Barcelona’s previous struggles with salary limits, which resulted in Jules Kounde missing the first two La Liga games last season. To avoid a similar scenario, Gundogan has inserted a clause in his contract that allows him to leave if he is not registered by the start of the new season.
Barcelona’s other potential deals are being debated among football fans and experts. Xavi Hernandez, the Barcelona manager, is eager to find a suitable replacement for Sergio Busquets. However, the only other deal that seems close for Barcelona is a €45m move for 18-year-old Brazilian striker Vitor Roque. Despite interest from top clubs like Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Manchester United, Roque has reportedly instructed his current club, Athletico Paranaense, to negotiate only with Barcelona.
Dani Alves’s Legal Troubles
Meanwhile, in Catalonia, former Barcelona player Dani Alves remains in prison for alleged sexual assault/rape. His trial is set for October or November, and Alves has recently given an interview from prison, claiming his innocence. However, his story does not align with fingerprint evidence. Despite this, Alves has expressed forgiveness towards the alleged victim for getting him entangled in this scandal.
Madrid’s Transfer Window Drama
In Madrid, two schools of thought are emerging from Santiago Bernabeu. After the impressive presentation of Jude Bellingham, attention has turned to filling the forward position, specifically the void left by Karim Benzema. The club has signed Joselu Mato, formerly of Stoke City and Newcastle United. Interestingly, Mato chose to wear the number 14 shirt, leaving the iconic number 9 available.
There have been reports suggesting that Real Madrid will not conduct any further business in the summer transfer window. However, this might be a tactic to avoid increasing the price of their main target. It is not uncommon for clubs to downplay their intentions to maintain a competitive negotiating position.
Sofyan Amrabat’s Potential Move to Atletico Madrid
Sofyan Amrabat is determined to join Atletico Madrid, but as of now, only Liverpool and Newcastle are willing to meet Fiorentina’s asking price of €30m. Amrabat’s prospective teammate, Yannick Carrasco, has called out Thibaut Courtois for allegedly lying about an injury and leaving the Belgium national team camp. This dispute arose after Courtois was denied the captaincy for one of their international games. While Courtois denies the accusations, Carrasco and coach Domenico Tedesco have made their stance clear.
Rafael Benitez Eyeing a Return to La Liga
In other news, Rafael Benitez, who previously managed Newcastle United, is reportedly considering a shock return to La Liga. Sevilla has replaced their Sporting Director, Monchi, with Victor Orta, who previously held the same position at Leeds United. Orta faces a challenging task of managing a bloating and aging squad at Sevilla.
Conclusion
The summer transfer window in La Liga has already brought some significant moves and controversies. Barcelona’s signing of Gundogan and their pursuit of young talent like Vitor Roque have sparked debates among fans. Meanwhile, Dani Alves’s legal troubles continue, and Madrid clubs are engaging in transfer speculations and disputes. As the window progresses, football enthusiasts eagerly await more developments and surprises in the Spanish league.
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