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Barcelona lost ground in the title race following their 3-2 La Liga defeat to Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday, April 23. Xavi's men are now 11 points behind their bitter rivals, who are leading the title race, and next face Valencia on April 29 in the league.
Meanwhile, Bayern Munich have reignited their interest in Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong. Elsewhere, sporting director Deco is pushing for on-loan Manchester City right-back Joao Cancelo's permanent stay.
On that note, here's a look at the major Barcelona transfer stories as on April 23, 2024.
Bayern Munich eyeing Frenkie de Jong
Bayern Munich are planning to bring Frenkie de Jong to the Allianz Arena, according to Sky Germany.
The Bavarians are long-term admirers of the Dutch midfielder and lost out to Barcelona in the race for his services in 2019. De Jong has transformed into a key figure at the Camp Nou, so Bayern are now hoping to prise him away. Despite his importance to the club, the Blaugrana were reportedly willing to offload him to Manchester United a couple of summers ago.
De Jong refused to leave, but it's believed that the La Liga giants will consider his departure this year. Barcelona are in financial distress and could benefit from player sales at the end of the season.
Bayern Munich are hoping to take advantage of the situation and could tempt the Blaugrana with a substantial bid this summer. De Jong's contract with the club expires in 2026.
Deco wants Joao Cancelo stay in Barcelona
Deco is pushing to convert Joao Cancelo's loan deal into a permanent stay at the Camp Nou, according to SPORT.
The Portuguese full-back joined Barcelona from Manchester City on a temporary move last summer and enjoyed a spectacular start to life at his new home. He cemented his place in Xavi's starting XI, prompting talk of a permanent stay. With the 29-year-old no longer part of Pep Guardiola's plans, it was believed that the La Liga giants could secure him for a reduced fee come summer.
However, his recent performances have raised doubts about his future with the club. Cancelo had an off-day against Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals, while his weakness was exploited to good effect by Lucas Vazquez in the recent El Clasico.
Despite his poor recent form, Deco is still gunning for Cancelo's permanent deal, as he believes that the Blaugrana will benefit from the 29-year-old's stay. The player, meanwhile, is wanted in Saudi Arabia but has his heart set on a stay at the Camp Nou and could be available for €30-35 million.
Arsene Wenger advises Xavi against exit
Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes Xavi announced his departure too early in the season.
The Spaniard declared his decision to part ways with Barcelona earlier this year following a series of unimpressive results. However, the team has since been on a spectacular run, barring the recent defeats against Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid.
Speaking recently, as cited by SPORT, Wenger said that Xavi should stay and help his team flourish further.
"I think Xavi has done a very good job at Barcelona. In my opinion, he announced his departure too soon. When you think about the age of their players, they can only get stronger; that’s why I think I would have liked Xavi to stay,” said Wenger.
He continued:
"They were not lucky against PSG nor against Real Madrid, but they showed that they were growing again, that the team was growing together."
Xavi has registered a 62% win ratio since taking charge of the Blaugrana, winning 85 of 137 games across competitions.
