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Barcelona face Alaves at the Mendizorroza on Saturday (February 3) in La Liga. Xavi's men are fourth in the league after 22 games, 10 points adrift of leaders Real Madrid.
Meanwhile, the Blaugrana have suffered a setback in their pursuit of Djurgarden teenager Lucas Bergvall. Elsewhere, the reigning La Liga champions face competition in their plans to sign Liverpool midfielder Thiago Alcantara this year.
On that note, here's a look at the key Barcelona transfer stories as on February 2, 2024:
Barcelona suffer Lucas Bergvall setback
Barcelona have suffered a setback in their plans to sign Lucas Bergvall. According to acclaimed journalist David Ornstein, the Swedish teenager is set to snub a move to the Camp Nou in favour of joining Tottenham Hotspur.
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The Blaugrana have had their eyes on Bergvall for a while and were close to securing his services from Djurgarden, as per transfer guru Fabrizio Romano. However, Spurs have hijacked the deal, convincing the 17-year-old to move to London instead.
Bergvall reportedly paid a visit to Tottenham’s training ground earlier on Monday and met his compatriot Dejan Kulusevski. The teenager then travelled to Barcelona and scouting the club’s facilities.
The reigning La Liga champions were initially confident of securing his services, but Spurs have oured cold water on their plans. Bergvall’s decision will be announced on Friday, when he turns 18. The Swedish midfielder is set to stay with Djurgarden till the end of the season and join Spurs in the summer.
Blaugrana face Thiago competition
Barcelona face competition from Real Betis for the services of Thiago Alcantara, according to Todofichajes.
The Spanish midfielder’s contract with Liverpool expires at the end of this season, but he's unlikely to be offered a new deal. Thiago is yet to appear for the Reds this season, highlighting his position at Anfield.
The Blaugrana have had their eyes on their former player for a while. The club remain keen to rope in a new pivot midfielder this year and have the 32-year-old on their wishlist.
Thiago’s availability on a Bosman move this summer makes him an alluring prospect for the La Liga giants, given their financial situation. However, Betis are also hot on the heels of the Spaniard and have identified him as the ideal candidate to replace William Carvalho.
Barcelona remain in the race for now and will have to convince Thiago to turn down a move to Andalusia in favour of a Camp Nou return.
Robert Lewandowski explains poor form
Robert Lewandowski has admitted that he was in poor state during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
The Polish striker joined Barcelona from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2022 and powered them to the La Liga title last season. However, he has been a shadow of his former self this campaign, and the Blaugrana have suffered as a result.
Speaking recently, as cited by Barca Universal, the 35-year-old revealed that he felt physically and mentally exhausted in 2023.
"In 2023, there was a time when I felt not only mentally, but also physically weaker. That year, all the bad and negative things seemed to come together in a moment. Everything has accumulated.
"Of course, I also made mistakes. I feel into a kind of current, and I needed too much time to get out of it, to return to normal, and, in football, it is not so easy to do it in a week or two weeks," said Lewandowski.
The Polish striker said that he conducted tests on the aftermath of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which yielded positive results.
"During that period, I did physical tests and individual workouts in my free time, and it turned out that it looked good and also gave me many answers.
"I see that I’m going physically, even in the club. I can look back, and this is an indicator for me that shows me that there are still good times ahead, but in 2023, there was a time when my spark went out,” said Lewandowski.
Lewandowski has appeared 30 times across competitions this season, registering 13 goals and six assists.
