"It will always be a home for me" – Manchester United-linked attacker opens up on love for Barcelona

RB Leipzig midfielder Dani Olmo, who has been linked with Manchester United of late, has professed his love for his boyhood club Barcelona.

Olmo, 24, has established himself as one of the best playmakers in the Bundesliga since joining Leipzig from Dinamo Zagreb for £25 million in the winter of 2020. So far, he has helped the club lift the DFB Pokal trophy.

A versatile midfielder adept at operating on either flank, the Spaniard has popped up on Manchester United's radar after the club failed to rope in Cody Gakpo from PSV Eindhoven. Earlier last week, the Red Devils tabled a transfer bid for the former Barcelona man, as per El Nacional.

During an interview with Bild, Olmo was queried about his feelings for Barcelona. Shedding light on his connection with the club, he replied:

"I played there for six years when I was young. It will always be a home for me. A lot of my friends from the national team play there. I want to come back sometime, it will be great to Spain. Spain is my country, also my league. My family and friends live there."

Olmo, who has a contract until June 2024 at the Red Bull Arena, was linked with a return to Barcelona last winter. But, the club backed out of a potential permanent deal due to their ongoing financial problems.

However, Olmo claimed that he is also open to other options. He said:

"But I'm not just tied to Spain. The most important thing for me is to play in a club where I feel wanted and important."

Overall, Olmo has scored 19 goals and laid out 22 assists in 106 games across all competitions for the Marco Rose-coached Bundesliga side.

Manchester United, on the other hand, are also monitoring the likes of Joao Felix, Goncalo Ramos, Victor Osimhen, and Marcus Thuram. The club is in need of a striker after Al-Nassr superstar Cristiano Ronaldo terminated his contract by mutual agreement in November last year.

Barcelona show interest in signing Manchester United-linked forward: Reports

According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona have shown an interest in signing soon-to-be-free Borussia Monchengladbach star Marcus Thuram. With Chelsea edging closer to finalizing a loan move for Joao Felix, the Blaugrana could face minimal competition in roping in the Frenchman.

Thuram, 25, has been a crucial first-team starter for Die Fohlen since arriving from Guingamp for a fee of £10 million in the summer of 2019. Operating primarily as a center-forward or as a left inside-forward, he has registered 41 goals and 26 assists in 119 matches for his club.

Apart from the Catalan giants, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Inter Milan are also keeping tabs on the versatile attacker.