Joan Laporta confirms three positions of interest for Barcelona in the summer market

FC Barcelona are facing an uncertain year ahead. The club’s inflated squad expenditure, coupled with La Liga’s strict Financial Fair Play regulations have made it very difficult for the Blaugrana to operate in the market.

But amid uncertainties on whether or not Barcelona will be able to sign any players in the market this coming summer, the club president Joan Laporta has offered a promising update in a recent media interaction.

Laporta has suggested that Barcelona will enter the market for a new right-back in the summer, but he has played down the possibility of signing a midfielder.

“We must sign a right-back, while a CB will depend on the market possibilities. A striker surely yes, but it is likely that someone will have to leave. We have a great midfield and I don’t see the need to sign someone there,” he said, as quoted by AS.

Defence: Foyth, Pavard, Ndicka, Inigo

Barcelona have targeted Borussia Dortmund veteran Thomas Meunier, but it appears the Belgian is holding out for a move to AC Milan. Others such as Benjamin Pavard and Juan Foyth have also been linked with a move to Camp Nou.

Xavi clearly appears to want a defence-minded right-back to compliment Ousmane Dembele’s full-on offensive style on the right-wing. Raphinha does seem to thrive better with an overlapping fullback, but he is second in the pecking order to the Frenchman.

Elsewhere, Barça seem to be looking into signing a left-footed centre-half to compliment Ronald Araujo and Jules Kounde. It is not surprising, therefore, that Marcos Alonso has been preferred to Eric Garcia in that role when one of Andreas Christensen or Araujo is unavailable.

Since it is not a high-priority position, Inigo Martinez and Evan Ndicka seem to be high on their agenda. Both players become free agents in the summer and match the profile Barça wants, even though the former is significantly older than the latter.

Barcelona are also open to a move for Manchester City star Aymeric Laporte, who wants to leave the English champions. Laporta and co. consider it an excellent market opportunity.

Vitor Roque time?

As for the striker, it will be a tricky task for Barça to secure the services of an alternative for Robert Lewandowski. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could be an option, but it will depend heavily on whether or not the club are able to make space in the salary budget.

But it seems Brazilian wonderkid Vitor Roque is leading the race to become Barcelona’s next no. 9. The striker has already admitted on record that he is ready to play for the club, and recent reports have suggested that the Catalans are advancing their pursuit to sign him.

Laporta playing down the possibility of signing a new midfielder comes in the midst of speculation linking someone like Ilkay Gundogan to a move to Barcelona.

The German international, whose current contract at Man City expires at the end of the season, is in contention to join the Catalans on a free transfer this summer.