Barcelona’s €15 million-rated target moving towards Portuguese giants – report

The need for a right-back has been well documented by now, with Barcelona aiming to strengthen their right side, especially after being dealt the sudden news of Ousmane Dembele’s departure.

Many names have been brought to the Catalans’ attention, with sections of the club showcasing their priorities.

Of all the names studied, Joao Cancelo and Ivan Fresneda looked like the most realistic options on the market.

But in the end, with Cancelo the highest on Xavi’s wishlist, it appears the signing of Fresneda is looking increasingly improbable.

Fresneda closing in on move to Sporting

As such, according to SPORT (h/t FCB World), Fresneda’s move to Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon is gaining heat.

In light of the new advancements being made in the Cancelo deal, as Barça are only a few details away from sealing the transfer, Fresneda is gradually being discarded by the Blaugrana hierarchy.

Deco had previously shown a preference for the Real Valladolid sensation, and the possibility that Barcelona would sign both right-backs was mooted, with Fresneda being sent out on loan in such a scenario.

But with the help of superagent Jorge Mendes, Barcelona have engineered a strategy to land Cancelo on a loan deal with a non-obligatory purchase clause.

The potential arrival of the Manchester City man has thus endangered Fresneda’s prospects of arriving in Catalonia, which has prompted him to search for other options after agreeing on personal terms with Barça and patiently biding his time.

With Fresneda, whose market value stands at €15 million, now aware that his chances of dressing as a Barcelona player this season look exceptionally bleak, his decision to pay heed to the various other proposals he had barely come as a surprise.

Player valuation in title obtained from transfermarkt.com on date of publication.