Next season's team (2)

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona wants to sign five players this summer: a left back defender, a central defender, a defensive midfielder, a left winger and a centre forward.

They give an overview of how the "ideal" squad could look like next season.


Left back defender: Abidal
Back-up: *new guy*

Because the contract of Sylvinho expires, the transfer of a left back is a priority for the club. Filipe (Deportivo) and Zhirkov (CSKA Moscow) are the two options. Filipe has more chances to join Barcelona because the asking price for Zhirkov is higher and the Russian seems to be on his way to Chelsea.

Defensive midfielder: Touré
Back-up: Busquets, *new guy*

Because Touré will be away for one month because of the Africa Cup, Guardiola wants to sign another defensive midfielder. Mascherano (Liverpool) is the first name on the list and although the player wants to come, Barcelona will have to seriously raise their bid. De Rossi (Roma) is the alternative and could be convinced to leave his club.

Attacking midfielders: Xavi and Iniesta
Back-up: Hleb, Víctor Sánchez, Gudjohnsen, Keita

Barcelona is trying to sell Hleb and Gudjohnsen but if this won't be possible, they'll have their chances next season. Víctor Sánchez could leave on loan. If Ribéry isn't signed, Barcelona could try again for Silva (Valencia), who could then play both on the left wing as in midfield.

Read more:
Deportivo asking too much for left back Filipe
The report of Txiki (2) : Mascherano priority
Silva is second choice for left wing

De Rossi alternative for Mascherano

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona is interested in AS Roma defensive midfielder and Italian international Daniele De Rossi (25).

Barcelona, that already tried to sign the Italian midfielder over the last two summers, could pick up the option if the transfer of Liverpool midfielder Mascherano wouldn't go through.



Read more:
Aquilani is touchable
Liverpool rejects first bid for Mascherano
Riise flattered by Barcelona rumours

How things stand: Defensive midfielder

(at the end of the season, Barça Transfer Zone looks forward to the coming transfer summer making an analysis for each position, in part 5 we look at the defensive midfielder)

2007-2008

He was the least known of the four transfers last summer, but Ivorian defensive midfielder Yaya Touré (24) established himself from the start as a key player in the team. If he was not fit or during the Africa Cup he was replaced by Rafael Márquez (29), Andrés Iniesta (23) or José Edmílson (31), who was injured during the first part of the season.

Out

The contract of Brazilian defensive midfielder Edmílson, who arrived in 2004 from Olympique Lyon, expires in June and will not be renewed. In the last months the player has been linked with clubs like Betis, Besiktas and Villareal. Mexican central defender and defensive midfielder Márquez could also leave (read more here).

In

Barcelona had planned to bring in a solid back-up for Touré. But it is now to be seen what the effect of the appointment of Josep Guardiola as the new Barcelona manager will be on how this position will be filled in. If Guardiola wants to bring back the 'pivote', the playmaker before the defence that he has been during his career, it could well be that Xavi or Iniesta, who were formed at this position, could be pulled back.

Olympique Lyon midfielder and Barcelona loan out Marc Crosas (20), who was nicknamed "the new Guardiola" (both for the position he played as for the physical resemblance), has now probably more chance to come back, despite having said he would prefer to stay at least one more year at Lyon.

This could also cause Barcelona to look for another type of player. Barcelona has been linked with players like Christian Poulsen (Sevilla - 28), Seydou Keita (Sevilla - 28), Daniele De Rossi (Roma - 24), Stéphane Mbia (Rennes - 21) and David Albelda (Valencia - 30), but Guardiola could well prefer a player like Xabi Alonso (Liverpool - 26).

Read all How things stand contributions here in the coming weeks or read the contribution about:

Goal keeper - Right back defender - Central defenders - Left back defender - Defensive midfielder - Attacking midfielders - Wing attackers - Centre forward

Aquilani is touchable

During their stay in Nyon for the Champions League draw, Barcelona officials have met with AS Roma counterparts and would have asked them about the renewal negotiations with Roma midfielders Daniele De Rossi (24) and Alberto Aquilani (23). Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Roma sports director Daniele Pradè and Roma team manager Tonino Tempestili made very clear that Italian international De Rossi is untouchable, but they didn't closed the door to talks on Aquilani. The contract of Aquilani expires next year and the player preferes to leave for a bigger club and get better financial conditions.