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Barcelona secured a stunning 3-2 comeback win over Celta Vigo at the Camp Nou on Saturday (September 23) in La Liga. Robert Lewandowski scored a brace before Joao Cancelo found a late winner to keep his team’s unbeaten streak alive.
Meanwhile, the Blaugrana have received a boost in their plans to sign Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Giovani Lo Celso this summer. Elsewhere, the Spanish champions are yet to make a decision regarding the future of on-loan Manchester City full-back Cancelo and Atletico Madrid midfielder Joao Felix.
On that note, here's a look at the key Barcelona transfer stories as on September 24, 2023:
Barcelona receive Giovani Lo Celso boost
Barcelona have received a boost in their quest to sign Giovani Lo Celso in January.
According to acclaimed transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, the Argentinean could be available at the turn of the year. The Blaugrana were eager to take Lo Celso to the Camp Nou this summer, but failed to reach an agreement with Tottenham Hotspur.
In his column for Caught Offside, Romano added that new boss Ange Postecoglou wanted the Argentinean to stay this year, but things could change in January.
“Giovani Lo Celso – Ange Postecoglou wanted to keep Lo Celso at the Tottenham, so I’d wait before mentioning any January move for Gio. For sure, if he’s not going to play in the next weeks and months, that could be a possibility. But nothing has been decided yet,” wrote Romano.
Xavi remains keen to add more quality to his midfield despite a plethora of talents at his disposal.
Blaugrana yet to make decision on Portuguese duo
Barcelona are yet to make a decision regarding the future of Joao Cancelo and Joao Felix, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The Portuguese duo joined the Blaugrana this summer on loan but have been outstanding so far. Their form has ignited talks of their permanent stay at the Camp Nou.
However, in his column for Caught Offside, Romano said that the La Liga giants are yet to take a decision on the matter.
“Felix & Cancelo – These two have started great for Barcelona, so we’ve inevitably had rumours about permanent moves for them.
"However, this is absolutely not decided yet. As Barca director Deco said, it’s something to be discussed in 2024, and, for sure, not now. No price tag has been fixed at this stage,” wrote Romano.
Felix is likely to cost a sizeable fee given his age and the fact that he's tied to Atletico Madrid till 2029.
Joao Cancelo opens up on fulfilling Barcelona dream
Joao Cancelo has admitting that he's living his dream with Barcelona. The Portuguese full-back arrived at the Camp Nou from Manchester City on loan this summer.
He has hit the ground running under Xavi and has been in the thick of things. After scoring the winner on Saturday, as cited by Barca Universal, Cancelo was critical of his performance against Celta Vigo but vowed to improve.
“It’s true that personally I was playing a very bad match, I was making a lot of mistakes.
"But I tried to give everything until the end, and we were able to come back. There’s a lot to improve, but it’s better to play poorly and win than to play well and lose,” said Cancelo.
He continued:
“I think we were doing well. Celta were very tight and made the game very difficult for us. The most important thing is the three points. My head was lost in the match.
"I had a lot of technical errors that are not normal in my game. You have to improve and know how to turn the situation around, and we have done that.”
The Portuguese also refused to indulge in talks of a permanent stay, insisting that he's fulfilling a long-standing dream.
“This is a dream for me. I saw the best team in football history; Barcelona 2009. And now, I’m playing for Barca, too.
"It’s incredible and I can’t believe it. If I perform well, the club will want me, and if I don’t, they will send me off. We have to keep going, but these three points are very important,” said Cancelo.
The Cityzens are likely to sanction Cancelo’s departure on a permanent move next summer for a suitable fee.
