Barcelona want to sign 29-year-old winger on a loan deal

Barcelona appear to be on the cusp of sanctioning the exit of Memphis Depay. The Dutchman is close to joining Atletico Madrid in a deal worth around €3 million.

Spanish media widely report that Atleti had declined a swap deal offer from Barça, involving Depay and Yannick Carrasco. But according to Diario SPORT, it seems Barcelona have not given up their hopes of signing the Belgian, even though Depay is set to join on a standalone deal.

Barça’s persistence in signing Carrasco is hardly surprising as Xavi Hernandez is keen on signing a replacement for Depay. The Barça coach feels there is a hole that needs to be filled in the attacking department, and the Atleti star has emerged as the ideal solution.

Barcelona may have gotten rebuffed in their swap deal offer. But the club have not lost hope just yet. They are aware of the fact that the player is open to joining Camp Nou this month.

As part of the operation, Barça are now seeking the possibility of signing Carrasco on a loan deal until the end of the season. Given that the player’s contract at Atletico Madrid expires in 2024, the club may even explore the option of a loan deal with an option to buy in the summer.

The club from the capital have shown no desire to offload Carrasco in January. But they are aware of the winger’s lack of future at Wanda Metropolitano, especially with the player keen on joining Barça.

The report suggests that the two parties are involved in dialogue and working out various possibilities. But there are no guarantees of an agreement, especially at this stage of the campaign.