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Barcelona are reportedly stepping up their interest in Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita ahead of the summer transfer window.
According to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo (h/t HITC), he could make the final list of Barca's transfer targets for the upcoming window. Keita is in the final four months of his contract at Anfield and is expected to depart as a free agent this summer.
Liverpool would free up £120,000 in weekly wages if the Guinea international leaves. However, they will not recoup anything from the £52.75 million they paid in transfer fees to sign him in 2018 from RB Leipzig.
Barcelona are set to lose Sergio Busquets on a free transfer, while Franck Kessie is also expected to depart. Hence, adding Keita to Barca's midfield could prove to be a sound move for manager Xavi Hernandez, especially economically.
The Catalan giants are struggling financially, which is why they have tended to resort to free signings. Andreas Christensen, Kessie, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Sergio Aguero and Marcos Alonso are just some of the big-name players who have arrived at Spotify Camp Nou on free transfers in recent seasons.
Liverpool would themselves need to have a plan in place to bolster their midfield this summer. Alongside Keita, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will also see their current deals expire this summer.
They have earmarked several targets, including Nicolo Barella of Inter Milan and Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham. However, Real Madrid are expected to provide tough competition to the Reds for the England international.
Xavi Hernandez not overly concerned about possession stat in Barcelona's win vs Real Madrid
Barcelona managed to win 1-0 in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final against Real Madrid on March 2.
A team renowned worldwide for their possession-based playing style, Barca managed to keep just 35% of the ball against Los Blancos. Manager Xavi Hernandez, one of the game's greatest midfielders during his heyday, was asked to address this statistic after the game.
Speaking after his team's win at the Santiago Bernabeu, he said (h/t AS):
"And as I said before, I’m not happy with how we played on the ball. They pushed us back into our own half and dominated us. But the team resisted well. That is not the percentage we look for. Today we have suffered a lot and players like Kessié and Busquets have finished the game really tired. But we have to value the effort."
Barcelona led Real Madrid in the most important statistic and will carry their one-goal lead into the second leg, which takes place on April 5.
