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Barcelona are not expected to be busy in the ongoing January transfer window until they appoint a club president.
Nonetheless, the rumor mill is churning out interesting stories about potential exits from Barcelona.
Ronald Koeman is poised to loan out a few youngsters in order to grant them game time, while a few stars in the team are being monitored by other clubs.
Let's dive right into the top rumors involving Barcelona from January 2, 2021.
Carles Alena set to leave Barcelona on loan
According to reports from Marca, Carles Alena is set to leave Barcelona on loan in the bid to play more regularly.
The 22-year-old has the skill set to become a household name in the Spanish top-flight, but he has only made two La Liga appearances under Ronald Koeman. Alena intends to leave, with Getafe in pole position to land him on a temporary deal.
Riqui Puig is another youngster who hasn't been a part of the starting XI often, but he will sign a new contract until 2023.
West Ham in mix to sign Junior Firpo
According to Don Balon, West Ham are looking to take advantage of Junior Firpo's situation at Barcelona and the London club could snap him up in January.
The left-back has only mustered three league appearances for Barcelona, having failed to win Koeman's trust or fight for his place in the regular XI.
Worth about £20 million, the former Real Betis defender could help West Ham with his explosive abilities. The transfer fee would also benefit Barcelona, as they could then look elsewhere to secure players.
Firpo is expected to provide cover for Arthur Masuaku, who has suffered an injury-ravaged campaign.
Barcelona presidential candidate Font hints at Eric Garcia return
Barcelona's president candidate Victor Font has explained how Eric Garcia's potential transfer back to Camp Nou serves as a blueprint to learn and improve the club's transfer strategy.
Garcia, a graduate of the famed La Masia academy, joined Manchester City back in 2016. He was recently openly expressive of his desire to move back to Barcelona, much to the alarm of the English giants.
Now, Eric Garcia is set to sign a five-year deal with Barcelona as a free agent in the summer after seeing out his present contract with Manchester City.
Font, one of the frontrunners for the president's position, said:
"The lack of a project with the right vision has created these problems. Players like Eric Garcia, now the club wants him to come back, which is great news, but he should have been retained. He left just because he did not believe in the future of opportunities within Barcelona. Pep Guardiola came and sold him the idea of a bright future at Manchester City, he believed him, and that’s what we need."
He continued:
“Betting on La Masia is absolutely vital for Barcelona because of three reasons: 1. youngsters are trained around our style, 2. the club saves a lot of money, and 3. these are Barca fans, so their level of commitment is greater than any signing from outside.”
Eric Garcia's return to Barcelona would bolster their squad and would offer a long-term solution ahead of next season.
