Report: Barcelona want to sign Fekir if Messi leaves in the summer

Barcelona would be interested to sign Betis star Nabil Fekir if Leo Messi leaves the Catalan club this summer. As reported by the Andalusian newspaper Estadio Deportivo, the French would only be an option for Joan Laporta and his board if Messi decides to leave.

The twenty-seven-year-old player loves to play in the attacking midfield but has also played in positions that were more close to the wing. He has an excellent left-foot touch and a great shot.

Although his seasons have always lacked regularity, Fekir has proved to have enough quality to play amongst the greatest players of Europe. Whenever there has been a crucial game against LaLiga’s biggest teams, the French midfielder has always come ready to play. He has been nailing his performances against Real Madrid and particularly, Barça.

To increase these transfer rumors, the player has recently signed with a Catalan players agency. It is a remarkable fact, as he did not ever have an agent until that day.

Laporta is optimistic about the Messi situation. During the trip to Sociedad, there was the first contact between the two parties and there was a good harmony.

— Cat Radio pic.twitter.com/EFBnFnnlok

— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) March 23, 2021

The report also claims that Barcelona would not be the only club interested to sign the midfielder, as Premier League’s side Arsenal would be also interested in getting the French player.

Regardless of which club decides to bid for his signing, they must have in mind that his release clause is currently sitting at €90 million, quite an astronomical fee considering the current financial situation of football clubs due to the pandemic.

Fekir has been playing at a decent level since he arrived in Sevilla. In 57 games for the Béticos, he has scored ten goals and has given nine assists.

Although these numbers might not seem enough for a Barça potential signing, his impact on Betis’ game style goes way beyond his stats. He has been the best player in his team during the two seasons he has spent at Benito Villamarín.

Before arriving in Sevilla, Fekir played a total of five seasons for Olympique Lyonnais’s first team, where he developed as a promising player. He played 137 games for the French club, scoring 53 goals and delivering 29 assists.

Stats via Transfermarkt