True or false? Analysing 5 Barcelona transfer rumours

The summer transfer window has not officially opened, but that hasn’t stopped a hatful of players being linked with Barcelona. The club aren’t actually able to register any one as playing staff until January 1, 2016. Such is the pull of the Blaugrana after completing the second treble in their history that it seems almost every player wants a piece of the action.Most of the time such rumours can be construed as agent or player posturing as they look to achieve a better deal at their current employers. Occasionally the links have some substance.Let’s take a look at five players already linked with a summer move and call true or false on each rumour.

#5 Aaron Ramsey - Arsenal

Neither Arsenal nor Barcelona have come out and denied any reports linking the Welshman to the Camp Nou

This is one of those rumours that really doesn’t have any legs whatsoever and was probably started off of the back of a comment that Wales manager Chris Coleman made in a press conference for the national side recently. Coleman happened to note that Aaron Ramsey had much the same skill set as Ivan Rakitic and, given half the chance, the young Welshman would walk into Luis Enrique’s side.

Although Ramsey’s numbers are on a par with Rakitic, a move for the Arsenal stalwart makes no professional sense. Barcelona don’t need a player like Ramsey because they have Rakitic.

What’s odd about this particular rumour is that neither Arsene Wenger, Luis Enrique nor the respective clubs have come out to deny it. Could it be that there is a grain of truth in it after all? Or is it just too preposterous to even bother passing comment?

We all know it’s the latter.

VERDICT: FALSE

#4 Denis Suarez - Sevilla

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Denis Suarez has enjoyed a wonderful time in Sevilla after being sent on loan along with Gerard Deulofeu as part of the Ivan Rakitic transfer.

To that end, Unai Emery is none to keen to see the player cut short his two year loan spell and return to Catalonia. Deulofeu has been a different kettle of fish entirely and his transfer to Everton has come as no surprise to those who watch him regularly.

Suarez possesses all of the necessary skills to succeed at Barcelona, but Sevilla are playing hard ball on this one.

Inside Spanish Football quote various sources in their report, which makes clear Barca’s desire to repatriate the player. It would appear that the Andalusians will only countenance losing Suarez if they can take exciting Barca B winger Adama Traore and out-of-favour right-back Douglas on loan in return. There are also suggestions that Alen Halilovic, Barca B’s brightest star, could be a makeweight to any deal.

Luis Enrique seems willing to make that call however. Barca B’s relegation to the third tier of Spanish football means a handful of their players must find new homes because they are just too good for the Segunda B division.

VERDICT: TRUE

#3 Vicente Iborra - Sevilla

Vicente Iborra

Another Sevilla midfielder Vicente Iborra is likely to be on the move during the summer window and Barcelona are interested. Inside Futbol quote Spanish daily Marca as noting Barca’s interest in the player with Luis Enrique allegedly instructing his paymasters to raid the Andalusians for the second time this window. Or third if we count Suarez.

Aleix Vidal has already put pen to paper and although he too won’t be able to make debut until January at the earliest, it is not beyond the realms of possibility for him to have said good things about his new employers to his colleagues back in Seville.

Iborra has been a delight over the past couple of seasons for Sevilla, and he would be a worthy successor to Sergio Busquets. Indeed, continue in the same vain as he has been and we may just see Busquets’ time in his favoured defensive midfield role limited as a result.

VERDICT: TRUE

#2 Koke - Atletico Madrid

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Josep Maria Bartomeu has already gone public with the news that he has the agreement of a “top spanish midfield player” to sign for Barca if the ex-president is re-elected when the Catalans hold their elections on July 18th.

The rumour mill has gone into overdrive as to the identity of the player in question with many outlets speculating that it is Atletico Madrid’s Koke.

Arda Turan has just this week expressed an interest in moving abroad and therefore it is a cast iron certainty that Diego Simeone would not countenance another midfield sale.

It is acknowledged that the Rojiblancos do have to periodically sell their big names to stay afloat and the money is always re-invested wisely. However, if there is one Atleti player who is unsellable then it is Koke.

In any event, the players’ agent, Inaki Espizua, has confirmed (per Daniel Prescot of the Daily Mail) that although his client is flattered by the interest of Barcelona, he has no intention of leaving his current employes.

#1 Paul Pogba - Juventus

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The transfer of Juventus’ Paul Pogba to Barcelona has been mooted ever since the Bianconeri were comprehensively undone in the Champions League final in Berlin earlier this month.

The ex-Manchester United man is just about the most coveted player in world football at the moment with all of Europe’s biggest clubs understood to be interested.

Barca have confirmed that they want the player according to Simon Jones of the Daily Mail, who also notes that Pogba himself favours a move to Camp Nou ahead of a transfer to PSG, Manchester City or Barca’s arch rivals Real Madrid.

The player won’t come cheap of course with figures in the region of €80million being mooted at this stage. His signature would represent another “galactico” type purchase after Neymar and Luis Suarez but if Pogba were to settle in anywhere near as well as the other two then Barca will have found themselves a bargain.

VERDICT: TRUE