Barcelona is on the verge of signing Celta Vigo’s Spanish striker Nolito on loan in the January transfer window and Sergio Busquets has backed his club’s pursuit of the 29-year old. The midfielder also voiced his thoughts on his potential renewal of contract with the Catalan club.
Busquets, who has been plying his trade as a midfielder for Barcelona since 2008, said that Nolito’s inclusion in the team would bolster their push for titles this season.
The rumour mill suggests that Celta Vigo and Barcelona are in talks to close in on a deal for the Spanish striker and apparently Nolito is Enrique’s top target this month.
Busquets backed his club’s pursuit of the Celta striker while speaking to the media at a sponsor event.
“Nolito would bring balance on the wings, as he doing with Celta Vigo,” Busquets said.
“Plus he is a player who knows the club and the system - he is a really good player.”
Luis Enrique is already familiar with Nolito as he has coached the striker in Barcelona B team. The manager and the forward were reunited later when Enrique took the reigns at Celta Vigo after returning from Italy.
Suarez’s ban is unfair: Busquets
The midfielder expressed his views on Luis Suarez’s Copa del Rey ban and said, “It's unfair, but that’s the referee’s word and you can’t do anything else [about it].”
Luis Suarez has been handed a ban for two Copa del Rey games, one of which he has already served. The ban was due to an alleged bust-up in the tunnel after the match against Espanyol and the Uruguayan had apparently incited it.
However, Barcelona are hoping that an appeal will allow Suarez to be included in the Copa del Rey quarter-final clash against Athletic Bilbao which is to be played on Wednesday.
Lionel Messi scored from a penalty during Barcelona’s 6-0 rout of Athletic Bilbao in the La Liga, who were down to ten men. The Argentine also picked up an injury but the club confirmed that the injury was nothing serious. Even after the confirmation, Messi remains a doubt for the first-leg of the quarter-final clash.
"We hope Messi can be there because they're two very important games," the 27-year-old said.
Busquets also gave insights about a possible new deal with the club.
“The club have said it will happen, but there’s no hurry. I feel really good here,” he said.