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Barcelona reportedly declined the chance to sign Serie A club Atalanta's defensive midfielder Ederson in the transfer window last summer. The Brazilian was linked with a potential move to the Blaugrana last season for €30 million.
However, the club rejected the offer due to financial constraints, as confirmed by journalist Santi Ovalle, who said (as quoted by Carrusel Deportivo):
"Ederson was offered to Barça last summer for €30 million and ended up signing Oriol Romeu."
With respect to the 2023-2024 season, the Catalan side will be looking to have a reliable central midfielder now as Oriol Romeu's transfer did not tick all their boxes.
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Throughout this season, Barcelona has been linked to several high-profile midfielders including Bayern Munich's Joshua Kimmich and Real Sociedad's Martin Zubimendi, but no official deals or announcements were made.
The La Liga giants are reportedly closing in on signing Guido Rodriguez from Real Betis, but they will be keen to take on another top-tier midfielder.
Ederson, who joined Atalanta in 2022, put in some good performances this season, scoring seven goals and providing one assist in 52 matches across all competitions. He also won the 2023-2024 UEFA Europa League with the Serie A side.
The Brazilian is now estimated at €50 million, which is reportedly out of Barcelona's budget. This could make it difficult for the Catalan side to bid with Premier League clubs being more keen on willing to match Atalanta’s valuation.
Barcelona forward Lewandowski comments on Kylian Mbappe joining Real Madrid
Barcelona forward Robert Lewandowski has expressed confidence in the squad amid speculation over Kylian Mbappe's potential transfer to Real Madrid. The Frenchman has been heavily linked with a move to Santiago Bernabéu on a free transfer in the upcoming summer transfer window.
After suffering a loss against Borussia Dortmund in the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League, the 25-year-old announced his decision to leave the Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain.
Following this announcement, multiple reports surfaced confirming Mbappe's transfer to Los Blancos. The French forward's signing will be officially announced after the Champions League final, according to OK Diario.
Addressing these reports and Kylian Mbappe's potential transfer, Lewandowski was optimistic and confident in his team's abilities to beat their arch-rivals regardless of any potential signings. The Polish striker said (via Marca):
"Mbappe doesn't scare us. No, of course, he is an incredible player and if he goes to Real Madrid it will be a very strong team. But our mentality has to be that no matter how good the opposing players are, if we are a team and we work together we can beat them."
Robert Lewandowski joined Barcelona in 2022 following his stint at Bayern Munich. He has netted 25 goals and provided nine assists in 48 appearances across all competitions for the Catalans this season.
