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Barcelona face Napoli at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on Tuesday, March 12, in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second leg. The tie is evenly poised at 1-1 after the first leg at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium three weeks wgo.
Meanwhile, the Blaugrana will not consider attacket Lamine Yamal’s exit despite rising interest in his services. Elsewhere, the reigning champions face competition from Serie A in their quest to sign Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi.
On that note, here's a look at the key Barcelona transfer stories as on March 10, 2024:
Barcelona not planning Lamine Yamal exit
Barcelona have no desire to listen to offers from Lamine Yamal, according to acclaimed transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.
The 16-year-old has been in sensational form for the Blaugrana this season, registering six goals and seven assists in 37 outings across competitions. He has been compared with club legend Lionel Messi and has apparently turned heads at Paris Saint-Germain.
MARCA has said that the Parisians offered €200 million for Yamal, which was swiftly rejected by the La Liga champions.
However, Romano has refuted those claims. The transfer guru has added that there has been no offer on the table for the Spaniard so far.
Even if suitors would line up for the 16-year-old this summer, Barcelona are unlikely to let him go. The club consider him a vital part of plans for the future and are waiting to tie him down to a professional contract once he turns 18 in 2025.
Blaugrana face Martin Zubimendi competition
Barcelona face competition from Juventus in the race to sign Martin Zubimendi this summer, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.
The Blaugrana are in the market for Sergio Busquets’ replacement, with Oriol Romeu failing to live up to the task. They have their eyes on Zubimendi, who has been outstanding for Real Sociedad recently.
This season, the 25-year-old has four goals and one assist in 41 outings, starting 37. He's the ideal candidate to fill Busquets shoes at he Camp Nou but is generating interest from multiple clubs ahead of the summer.
Arsenal are hot on his heels, and the Bianconeri have now joined the fray. Zubimendi has a €60 million release clause in his contract, which could pose a problem for the reigning La Liga champions, considering their precarious financial condition.
Former player outlines reason for Barcelona’s recent struggles
Former Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic reckons the club erred in offloading experienced veterans in recently.
With Xavi set to leave this summer and financial issues refusing to subside, the Blaugrana are staring at uncertain times.
They haven’t been in their element recenyly. Despite winning the league last season, they appear to be lagging behind Real Madrid in every aspect.
Speaking to MARCA, Rakitic admitted that Los Blancos could dominate the European circuit for a while.
“I’m not telling you this season, but overall, Real Madrid have things well to have a solid team base and I expect them to dominate for a few years. They will win La Liga this season,” said Rakitic.
Rakitic also pointed out that Jude Bellingham and Co are benefitting from the experience of Toni Kroos and Luka Modric at the Santiago Bernabeu.
“Toni (Kroos) and Luka (Modric) are still there leading the team. Maybe Barca have gone too fast.
"I am convinced that Gavi and Pedri, who have spectacular talent, are going to be the future of Barca and Spanish football, but I think that our help would have been good for them,” said Rakitic.
He continued:
“I am convinced that all those kids like Bellingham and company greatly appreciate the daily learning they have with them.
"It hurts to see it because Barca has been my home for six years, and I have a very, very, very special affection for it.”
Barcelona are third in the league after 28 games, five points behind leaders Real Madrid, who have a game in hand.
