Barcelona want to sign a high-profile centre-back, five players on list | OneFootball

Barcelona are expected to sign at least two players in the upcoming summer transfer window, with Andreas Christensen and Franck Kessie both expected to join the club on a free transfer.

But as revealed earlier, it appears Xavi Hernandez is looking for another centre-back in the summer, with Jules Kounde emerging as one of the top targets.

Mundo Deportivo has now followed up on that report, suggesting Barcelona are exploring no less than five potential centre-back ahead of the summer transfer window.

The list is headed by Kounde, but the Catalans are also keeping tabs on yet another centre-back thriving in La Liga, in the form of Pau Torres. Others on this list include Manchester City’s Aymeric Laporte and Juventus’ Matthijs de Ligt.

Barcelona are also looking at Mohammed Salisu of Southampton. But the report suggests Barça may find it difficult to fund moves for any of these defenders as they are deemed way too expensive.

Pau Torres, for one, could easily cost around €60 million, having showcased exceptional performances at Villarreal over the past couple of years.

Kounde, meanwhile, is valued at a whopping €75 million as Sevilla regard him as one of the best defensive talents in all of Europe. One would expect de Ligt to command a similar price tag, as he is considered arguably the best young centre-back in the world.

While Man City’s Laporte could be relatively cheaper, the Premier League champions will still look to recoup a majority of the €60 million they had spent on the player back in 2018.

Salisu could prove to be the cheapest option on this list. The Ghanaian international has showcased brilliant form since joining Southampton for €10 million, but one would expect the Saints to hold out for at least €35 million for the services of their prized defender.