Barcelona would only be able to move for Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte on loan this summer, which makes a potential deal unlikely.
That’s according to Sport, who say the player’s high wages mean a permanent transfer is unlikely to be possible for the Catalans.
They explain that Barcelona are determined to sign a centre-back this summer, with president Joan Laporta admitting that is a priority for them.
The man they really want is Íñigo Martínez and he has been approved by manager Xavi but the possibility of bidding for Laporte has ‘arisen’ in recent weeks. Barring any issues, it will be one of those two players who arrive.
Barcelona are aware of this and are willing to play the transfer game, but the problem lies in the type of operation available to them, and Laporte’s salary.
They’ve made it clear he could only arrive at the Camp Nou ‘on loan with an option’ to buy and would need to adjust his wages to fit in with the club’s new salary parameters.
Thus there is a lot of agreement needed on all parts, particularly from Manchester City, who need to agree to a loan deal. That seems unlikely to be something they would sanction for a player like Laporte, presumably as they’d want to reinvest the money in a replacement.
Their management does have a good relationship with those in charge at Barcelona, though, so perhaps there is a deal there to be done.
At the moment, though, a loan deal plus a wage reduction doesn’t make this a particularly attractive deal for Manchester City or Laporte at present.
