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Newly elected Barcelona president Joan Laporta reportedly wants to hijack Real Madrid's move for Bayern Munich defender David Alaba.
David Alaba's current deal with Bayern Munich is set to expire at the end of the season, making him a free agent in the summer. The Bavarian giants were keen to extend the Austrian's deal with the club but refused to meet his wage demands.
According to Barca Blaugranes, Joan Laporta met with David Alaba's representatives earlier last week and told them to wait until he is elected the president of Barcelona. The 58-year-old has now been elected president of the Catalan club and has made the signing of the Bayern Munich star a top priority.
David Alaba has been heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid in recent months, with reports suggesting he has a pre-contractual agreement with the club in place.
Real Madrid view him as a potential replacement for Sergio Ramos, who is yet to sign a new deal with the club. The Spaniard's contract is set to expire at the end of the season.
Barcelona, on the other hand, are desperate to sign a top-quality defender in the summer. The Catalan's defense has been a major source of concern for manager Ronald Koeman in recent months.
The Dutch tactician is eager to sign a long-term replacement for the aging Gerard Pique and believes David Alaba would be the perfect player for the job.
Barcelona will have to offload some players if they are to fund a move for David Alaba
Like most clubs in Europe, Barcelona are suffering financially due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic and are reportedly in €1.2 billion worth of debt. The Catalan giants will have to offload some of their star players if they are to fund any transfers in the summer.
Philippe Coutinho and Antoine Griezmann are tipped as some of the players who could be shown the exit door, as Joan Laporta looks to reduce the wage bill and raise funds for future transfers.
David Alaba is reportedly seeking wages in the region of £200,000 per week, which could prove to be an obstacle for Barcelona.
