Barcelona negotiating a like-for-like swap deal with Borussia Dortmund

As reported by SPORT, Barcelona are in talks with Borussia Dortmund over a swap deal that would see Sergino Dest move to Germany and Thomas Meunier arrive in Spain this summer.

Barça have decided to part ways with Dest this summer as manager Xavi Hernandez does not trust the 21-year-old enough to be the club’s premier right-back.

With the USMNT ace up for sale, the Blaugrana need to bring in a suitable replacement or risk being left with Sergi Roberto as the only option in the right-back position.

To that end, Dortmund’s Meunier has emerged as a viable target for Barcelona. The report states that Xavi sees the Belgian international as a valuable option due to his experience at the Champions League level and his playing style.

However, a transfer is proving to be tricky as Dortmund want a fee of €15 million for their defender, but the Catalan giants are unwilling to offer more than €10 million.

In order to get out of the complication and unlock the deal, Barcelona have now made a fresh proposal to the Bundesliga outfit over a potential swap deal involving Dest and Meunier.

Dortmund will have had concerns about finding a replacement for the Belgian this late in the window if they were to sell him to Barcelona. But a player-exchange operation involving Dest would mean that they have a like-for-like replacement for their right-back.

Meunier had been on Barça’s radars in January, but Dortmund blocked an exit back then. With the Catalans now offering them an opportunity to sign Dest in exchange for their senior right-back, it remains to be seen if the Black and Yellows are willing to enter such an operation.

If Barcelona are unable to land Meunier, they have other options on their wishlist in the form of Juan Foyth of Villarreal and Arsenal’s Hector Bellerin, who is currently being seen as only a last resort option.