Barcelona and Napoli in talks to swap two players with the same agent

Despite the impending arrival of Andreas Christensen, Barcelona are in the market for another top-level centre-back, amid worries over the longevity of Gerard Pique.

The Catalans have tested the waters at Sevilla over a potential deal for Jules Kounde. But the Frenchman is proving to be way too expensive for the club, with Fabrizio Romano speculating a figure of around €80 million.

It has compelled Barcelona to look elsewhere and as per Diario SPORT, Kalidou Koulibaly is seemingly becoming a possibility.

The report suggests Barcelona are set to open talks with Napoli next week over the signing of the Senegalese international, whose current deal in Naples expires at the end of next season.

The defender has no intention to renew his contract at Napoli, who are ready to offload their prized defender for a fee of around €35 million.

Koulibaly’s price tag could make the operation quite tricky for Barcelona. But the Blaugrana are looking to lower the valuation by adding Miralem Pjanic into the mix.

Barça are aware of Napoli’s interest in Pjanic, with coach Luciano Spalletti rating the Bosnian highly for his success at AS Roma and Juventus. He wants to incorporate him as part of his setup next season, as the Partenopei look to mount a title challenge.

A crucial chip in this transfer saga could be Fali Ramadani. The co-owner of the LIAN Sports Agency group represents both Koulibaly and Pjanic. He could thus play a key role in the negotiations and help Barcelona get their hands on the defender.

The report states Ramadani is soon set to hold a meeting with Napoli’s president Aurelio de Laurentiis over the future of Koulibaly.

The two parties are expected to come to an agreement over the sale of the Senegalese international, with Barcelona emerging as one of the potential destinations.