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Barcelona lost their first final under the tutelage of new manager - Ronald Koeman - after twice squandering leads in a five-goal 2020-21 Supercopa de Espana final against Atheltic Bilbao.
The lost opportunity to win silverware is bound to add additional focus on Barcelona's transfer activity and the need for reinforcements. With less than two weeks left before the ongoing transfer window closes, Barcelona are very likely to do some business in the coming days.
On that note, here is a look at the top Barcelona transfer stories as on 18 January 2021.
Real Madrid join Barcelona in race for Sergio Aguero
Recent reports from The Sun claim Barcelona are interested in signing Sergio Aguero this summer once his contract at Manchester City expires.
The 32-year-old, who becomes a free agent in the summer, is yet to sign a contract extension and looks set to leave the Premier League club at the end of the season.
As per new reports from AS, Real Madrid could very join Barcelona in the pursuit for Aguero in the summer should Luka Jovic's loan move back to Eintracht Frankfurt becomes permanent.
With Aguero free to choose a club of his choice, there could be an intriguing battle between Real Madrid and Barcelona for the player's signature.
Barcelona in the race for Arsenal's Hector Bellerin
Born and raised in Barcelona, Hector Bellerin was a part of Barcelona's famed La Masia academy for eight years. After moving to Arsenal in 2011, he has made 223 appearances in all competitions for the club.
However, according to Calciomercato, the 25-year-old could potentially leave Arsenal after the ongoing season, with Barcelona reportedly interested in signing their former academy player. But the Blaugrana could face competition from the likes of PSG and Juventus for the player's signature.
PSG confirm interest in Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi
In what promises to be a saga to watch out for till the summer, Lionel Messi's Barcelona future remains undecided. The 33-year-old superstar is just a few months away from being able to walk away from Barcelona for free after trying and failing to leave the club last summer.
With his current Barcelona contract expiring this summer and with no extension signed yet, Messi is free to negotiate with other clubs over a potential move. The Messi situation at Barcelona is bound to be monitored closely by many elite European clubs, which includes Manchester City and PSG.
In fact, PSG's sporting director Leonardo recently confirmed his club's interest in Lionel Messi. Speaking to France Football, he said:
“Great players like Messi will always be on the PSG list. But this is, of course, not the time to talk about it or to dream about it. But we are seated at the large table of those who are following the file closely. In fact, no, we are not yet seated, but our chair is just reserved in case. Four months in football is an eternity, especially during this time".
It remains to be seen where Lionel Messi ends up at next season, but he is unlikely to remain at Barcelona.
