"Looking for renowned players to make the league more attractive" - SPL club's chief confirms team's desire to sign players from Barcelona

Al-Ittihad sporting director Ramon Planes has revealed that the club are in talks with Barcelona players regarding a move. The Saudi side boasts some of the biggest names in the world, including former Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema.

Clubs in the Middle East have targeted football superstars in recent years. Cristiano Ronaldo was one of the first major stars to make the move and has since been joined by many household names.

Among them is former Barcelona forward Neymar, who currently plies his trade with Al-Hilal. It now appears that more players from the Catalan club could have the chance to make the move to the Middle East this year.

Speaking recently, as cited by Reshad Rahman on X, Planes added that Al-Ittihad are also eyeing younger players at the moment.

"We have been in contact with Barça players to sign them. We are looking for renowned players to make the league more attractive, but also young talents," said Planes.

Barcelona are in financial distress right now and are expected to turn to player sales to address the issue. The likes of Andreas Christensen, Ronald Araujo, and Frenkie de Jong remain linked with an exit from Camp Nou.

However, it is unclear if they would prefer to end their stay in Europe at the moment. Meanwhile, Robert Lewandowski is also in the final phase of his career and has been linked with clubs in the Middle East before. The Pole is set to turn 37 in August and could be tempted to secure a final fat paycheck before he retires.

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Will Barcelona sign a new striker in 2025?

Hansi Flick

Barcelona are apparently preparing for life after Robert Lewandowski. Recent reports have suggested that they have identified Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres as the ideal candidate for the job.

The Swede has been phenomenal for the Portuguese side in recent seasons and has admirers at multiple clubs in Europe. This season, Gyokeres has registered 30 goals and six assists from 28 games across competitions.

Sporting have no desire to let him go in the middle of the season, but a move could materialize this summer. Barcelona are likely to face competition from Manchester United, Manchester City, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich for the 26-year-old.

Despite the presence of former Sporting manager Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford, the Red Devils are not considered the favorites in the race. Gyokeres is under contract with the Portuguese club until 2028.