FC Barcelona wants to sign Bayern’s Joshua Kimmich. And vice versa, the player is not averse to moving to Catalonia. The midfielder could even force a transfer.
Signing a new scorer is high on FC Barcelona’s list of priorities for this transfer summer. “Signing a defensive pivot, a Busquets replacement, takes precedence,” confirmed coach Xavi several weeks ago. Two names are at the top of the Catalans’ wish list. Martin Zubimendi and Joshua Kimmich. The former has just extended his contract at Real Sociedad until 2027 and would probably cost 60 million euros, at least that’s the release clause that the Basques can invoke.
The more likely alternative currently seems to be Kimmich. His working paper at FC Bayern runs until 2025, but like that Sports world reported, “he toyed with the idea of starting a new adventure abroad. He knows that Barça are interested in him and enjoys the prospect of a move to Blaugrana with the full confidence of Xavi, his great admirer.” The 43-year-old makes no secret of this admiration. “Kimmich is a top man and also understands the game fantastically”, Xavi raved recently in an interview.
Xavi von Kimmich not averse: “If there is any open door …”
It is questionable whether FC Bayern would actually let Kimmich go. However, according to the MD, the player himself is said to be “like Robert Lewandowski ready to fight for a move to Barça. An intention that the Barça leadership has also achieved”. Although a possible transfer fee is likely to be in the same range as Zubimendi – possibly even higher – the cancellation of Lionel Messi has given FC Barcelona some leeway in terms of salary, as part of the Argentinian’s services have already been planned. Bayern would certainly not let their top performers go without a fight, so there may be another drawn-out transfer saga between the German record champions and the Catalans this summer – after Lewandowski last year, now with Kimmich as the protagonist.
2023-06-10 21:19:20
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