Barcelona greatly interested in signing Arsenal attacker to solve their attacking woes - Reports

Barcelona are 'dreaming' of signing Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli in the summer to solve their attacking woes, according to reports from Mundo Deportivo.

Barca have also been linked with Liverpool's Luis Diaz, but a move for him could be slightly out of their budget. Athletic Club's Nico Williams has also been rumored with a move, but nothing has materialized on that front.

Martinelli has been described as the 'forbidden dream' on Barcelona's wishlist as they draw up their transfer targets for the forward line.

The winger was recruited from Brazilian side Ituano for a measly sum of €7.1 million in 2019. He has since gone on to establish himself as a first-team regular for Arsenal, becoming an invaluable part of their attack.

Martinelli has 41 goals and 24 assists in 170 appearances across all competitions for the Gunners. He endured a slow start in this season, but has bagged eight goals and five assists in 40 games across all competitions.

He has become such an integral player in Mikel Arteta's squad that it would take an astonishing fee for Arsenal to even consider his sale.

With Barcelona's finances in a terrible condition, a potential move for Martinelli could be classed as nothing more than a pipe dream at this moment.

However, it has previously been reported that the Catalans are willing to part ways with all but five players in the squad. Pau Cubarsi, Pedri, Gavi, Lamine Yamal and Mika Faye are said to be the only players that are non-transferable, as Barcelona look to raise revenues to balance their books.

If Barca manage to raise enough funds, they could make a return to the 1:1 rule, which states that they can spend a euro for every euro they earn through transfers. In this highly improbable scenario, a move for Martinelli could potentially come to fruition.

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Barcelona keen on activating €7 million buyback clause of defender who Xavi 'admires'

Barcelona are reportedly keen on activating the €7 million buyback clause to sign Moroccan defender Chadi Riad from fellow La Liga side Real Betis, according to SPORT.

Riad, who is on loan at Betis, has a mandatory €3 million buy option at the end of the season which will make his move to the Benito Villamarin permanent. However, that also activates Barca's buyback clause, which they can trigger at any point in his new contract.

He has been impressive in his loan stint for Los Verdiblancos, keeping five clean sheets in 21 starts for the club.

Apparently, Xavi sees the Moroccan as a great, young centre-back with good ball control, and believes that he would be a great addition to their squad.

However, Barcelona are stacked in defense, and Riad would likely have no spot in the rotation. He could be used as leverage in a swap deal in the upcoming transfer window, should Barca propose such a deal for any other player on their transer target list.