Barcelona’s transfer window is entering its most important week, and Joan Laporta has stepped in as the club pushes to complete the final pieces of Hansi Flick’s squad.
According to SPORT, the Barcelona president visited the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper, where he met the players and coaching staff before turning his attention to the work still left to do in the transfer market.
With only one week remaining before the window closes, Barcelona are dealing with several important decisions.
At the top of the list is the search for a new centre-forward, while Alejandro Balde’s future also remains an active issue following interest from Manchester United.
Barcelona working against the clock for new No. 9
Barcelona have until September 1 to finalise their remaining business, and the club is actively assessing the market for a centre-forward.
Despite the attacking options already available to Flick, the sporting department wants to add a recognised No. 9 to the squad.
The search is now moving into a crucial stage.
Laporta has visted visited the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
Barcelona are working through several possible names and must quickly determine which deals are realistic before the window shuts.
That means checking availability, understanding the demands of the players and their clubs, and deciding where the club are willing to invest.
The next few days will therefore be decisive, as Barcelona cannot afford to spend too long exploring options that are unlikely to materialise.
Keeping close contact on Balde
As per the outlet, Laporta’s visit also coincided with Deco arriving at the training ground, with the pair continuing to work on Barcelona’s transfer strategy.
The Barcelona president and sporting director have remained in regular contact throughout recent weeks and have held several meetings.
Right now, their immediate focus is to solve the outstanding issues before the deadline.
Laporta and Deco are in complete harmony. (Photo by Friedemann Vogel/Getty Images)
While the search for a striker is the biggest sporting priority, Balde’s future could also influence Barcelona’s final moves.
Manchester United have made enquiries about the left-back, although their preferred deal would be a loan. Barcelona, on the other hand, are prioritising a permanent transfer.
Barcelona’s strong start gives the club an encouraging base, but the transfer window is not yet finished.
The opening match against Elche showed that Flick has enough quality to find different attacking solutions, which means Barcelona are not making a late signing simply out of panic.
Their interest in a No. 9 comes from a belief that the squad would benefit from a specialist in the position.
The same applies to Balde. Any departure would have to make sporting and financial sense, particularly if Barcelona intend to use the money to strengthen another area of the squad.