Moutinho was high on list to replace Deco

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Sporting midfielder and Portuguese international João Moutinho (22) was high on Barcelona's wish list of candidates to replace former Barcelona attacking midfielder Deco, who has left the club this summer (read more here).

Based on some excellent scouting reports, Barcelona contacted Sporting on a possible transfer. But with the Portuguese club holding on to a transfer fee of 25 million euro° (read more here), Barcelona turned to other options and bought Keita and Hleb.

Read more:

Possible deal with Moutinho

Moutinho still on the list

Moutinho other candidate to replace Deco

Moutinho still on the list

Portuguese sports paper O Jogo claims that Sporting midfielder and Portuguese international João Moutinho (21) is still in the race to replace Barcelona midfielder Deco next season. Moutinho and Hernanes (read more here) would appear on top of the list of possible successors.

The paper claims that a representative of Moutinho's agent Pini Zahavi travelled to Catalunya last week to discuss the player's profile with Barcelona officials. Barcelona would have doubts on Moutinho's physical abilities although the recent performances of the player at the European championship have reduced those doubts.

With the buyout clause of 25 million euro° having expired anyway (read more here), Barcelona would only be willing to launch a bid of 18 million euro°. At this moment Moutinho is neverthless only one of the options and no official approach has yet been made.

Read more:

Moutinho is not a Barcelona target

Barcelona admits following Hernanes for months

Moutinho hoping to catch Barcelona train

Moutinho is not a Barcelona target

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Sporting midfielder and Portuguese international João Moutinho (21) is not a Barcelona target despite the fact that the player has been offered to Barcelona by his representatives who knew that Moutinho was on a long-list after some excellent scouting reports.

New Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola thinks that Moutinho's position is already occupied by Iniesta and Xavi. After Moutinho's buyout clause of 25 million euro° expired last weekend (read more here), Sporting could now ask more for the player.

The presumed interest of Barcelona would have been used to put the player on the market and to raise his status. While Moutinho was before represented by his father Nélson, his agent is now Pini Zahavi, who would be looking for an interested club in England.

Moutinho, who didn't know if renewal talks with Sporting were ongoing but who said he was aware of several offers for him, confirmed the change of agent to the paper after the Portugal versus Switzerland game on Sunday. Catalan sports paper Sport says that Nélson Moutinho and Pini Zahavi are representing the player together.

Moutinho is quoted by the last paper as confirming the news that he doesn't have a buyout clause anymore: "Despite not having a clause anymore, for me everything stays the same as it was before. I'm focusing on the Euro, all the rest should wait. I don't want to say anything on the interest of other clubs. There will be enough time for that later on."

Read more:

Possible deal with Moutinho

Ex-Barça: Fabio Rochemback

Moutinho hoping to catch Barcelona train

Moutinho hoping to catch Barcelona train

Asked about the rumours linking him with a summer move to Barcelona (read more here), Sporting midfielder and Portuguese international João Moutinho (21) has suggested to journalists that he hopes the transfer could go through: "Barcelona is one of those trains that only pass once in a lifetime."

Catalan sports paper Sport states that the player's buyout clause of 25 million euro° expires tomorrow, leaving the negotiations on a transfer fee totally open from that moment on.

Read more:

Possible deal with Moutinho
Bruno Alves wants to prove himself
Formal offer for Moutinho upcoming

Possible deal with Moutinho

Portuguese sports paper A Bola claims that Barcelona could already have reached a secret deal with Sporting midfielder and Portuguese international João Moutinho (21).

Barcelona will now contact his Portuguese club and would be preparing a 20 million euro° bid for the player (read more here). Moutinho has a buyout clause of 25 million euro° but that clause would expire on the 15th of June.

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona will send an official to Lisbon to negotiate with Sporting officials after that date, hoping to be able to close a deal for less than the current buyout fee.

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Sporting wants to agree on a new and higher buyout fee as soon as possible.

Read more:

Formal offer for Moutinho upcoming

Negotiations with Sporting on Moutinho

Deal with Hleb

Formal offer for Moutinho upcoming

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Sporting midfielder and Portuguese international João Moutinho (21) expects that Barcelona will make Sporting a formal offer before mid-June. The midfielder has a buyout clause of 25 million euro° (read more here).

The paper claims that Barcelona has been following the player for a while, with Barcelona scout Pepe Costa having assisted the last games of Sporting in the Portuguese league and the Portuguese cup.

While Barcelona first saw Moutinho as an option for the future, his progress over the last months could now make Barcelona accelerate its efforts to sign the player.

Asked about the rumours linking him with a summer move to Barcelona (read more here), Moutinho didn't deny at a press conference that Barcelona is interested in him but didn't want to pronounce on his future: "At this moment I only think about the European championship and about our next opponent. Once the tournament ends, I will have time to think about other things."

Read more:

Negotiations with Sporting on Moutinho

Ex-Barça: Fabio Rochemback

Moutinho other candidate to replace Deco

Negotiations with Sporting on Moutinho

Portuguese tabloid Correio da Manhã claims that Barcelona is holding talks with Sporting on the transfer of Sporting midfielder and Portuguese international João Moutinho (21), who is seen as a possible successor of Barcelona midfielder Deco (read more here). With the negotiations being well-advanced, the deal could be closed in the next days.

Barcelona offers 20 million euro° plus central defender Gerard Piqué (21) on loan for two years. Sporting is at the moment holding on to the buyout fee of 25 million euro°, but could accept to lower that to 23 million euro if Piqué would join them on loan.

Read more:

Moutinho other candidate to replace Deco

Ex-Barça: Fabio Rochemback

Deco announces his exit

Moutinho other candidate to replace Deco

Portuguese tabloid Correio da Manhã claims that Barcelona is interested in Sporting midfielder João Moutinho (21).

Future Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola would want the Portuguese international to become the successor of Barcelona midfielder Deco (30). Moutinho has a contract with Sporting until 2013 and has a buyout clause of 25 million euro°.

Asked about the matter, Nélson Moutinho, the father of the player, said that he had not yet been contacted by Barcelona but that he welcomes the interest: "João plays at a great club, where he is loved and where he feels good. But of course, if a club with the size of Barcelona would come after him, that would be a dream. I am however completely unaware of that interest."

Moutinho's father doesn't have any doubt that his son would adapt to the level of a European top club: "I sure think that my son is ready for a new step. He can play for any team in the world. He has always been immune to pressure and played a very regular season in a difficult year for Sporting. My son and Deco have some qualities in common and the exit of Deco indeed opens a door for someone, but I do not know if that someone is João."

Read more:
Deco announces his exit
Keita to replace Deco
The four Barcelona summer objectives