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Aston Villa could reportedly be set to put a dent in Barcelona's transfer plans as they look to swoop in for Borussia Dortmund's Thomas Meunier.
According to Spanish outlet El Nacional, Unai Emery's Villa are moving for right-back Meunier as the Spanish coach looks to bolster his backline. The Blaugrana have taken their time in moving for the Dortmund defenderm and the Premier League club are now in the race.
Meunier is said to have been excited about the prospect of joining Barcelona, but their lack of movement has frustrated him. The Belgian is now mulling other options to leave the Bundesliga and Villa are one of them.
Dortmund have reportedly transfer listed the 31-year-old, as he has just one year left in his contract. BvB are looking for around €10 million to part with the experienced defender. He made 18 appearances across competitions in the recently concluded season, providing one assist.
That was an enticing proposition for Barcelona boss Xavi as he looks to strengthen his defence. They were previously interested in the Belgian international in January but decided to wait till the summer.
However, the Blaugrana are seemingly not too fussed if they miss out on Meunier, as Xavi has alternatives. Real Valladolid's Ivan Fresneda and Manchester City's Joao Cancelo are also being studied by the La Liga champions.
Meanwhile, Villa boss Emery is looking to build on an impressive debut campaign. He sealed their place in the UEFA Europa Conference League next season and is now looking to strengthen his squad.
Bayern Munich keeping tabs on Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong
According to Sky Sports Germany's Florian Plettenberg, Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong is being monitored by Bayern Munich.
The Dutchman is on Bavarians boss Thomas Tuchel's list, and they are keeping tabs on his situation at the Camp Nou. The 26-year-old was heavily linked with a departure last summer when Manchester United came calling.
However, De Jong was adamant that he wanted to remain with Barca and he was a prominent member of Xavi's side this past season. He featured 43 times across competitions, scoring two goals and providing four assists.
Tuchel is evidently an admirer of the Dutch international, and he does have a prior history of trying to sign him. The German coach reportedly pushed for his former employers Chelsea to seal a deal for him last summer. They were dark horses in a race with United for his signature, but the midfielder stayed at the Camp Nou.
De Jong has three years left on his contract with Barcelona, and the La Liga giants are 'the club of (his) dreams'. He arrived in Catalonia in 2019 from Ajax for €86 million.
