Barcelona remains the only realistic option as €50m-rated Bundesliga star wants to play in La Liga next season | OneFootball

Although FC Barcelona are still fighting for the La Liga title, the Catalan club has still been planning for the upcoming summer transfer window with the aim of strengthening some of the weaker positions in the squad.

One of the areas that Hansi Flick wants to be reinforced in particular is that of the flanks, where Alejandro Balde and Jules Kounde have started for most of the season, but both suffered injuries in the most crucial phase of the season.

Jeremie Frimpong remains the favorite candidate for Barcelona

The Blaugranes have been keeping an eye on several candidates for this purpose, with players like Vanderson, Dodo, Marc Pubill, and Gavairo Read all being linked with them.

However, the best-suited option for Barcelona still remains the Bayer Leverkusen defender Jeremie Frimpong, whose departure from the German club might not really be impossible this summer, as SPORT has noted.

The Dutchman can part ways with Leverkusen

The Dutchman has been playing for Leverkusen for five years now, and still has a contract that goes till 2028. However, both the player and his current club understand that this upcoming summer would be a good time to part ways, as the manager Xabi Alonso is expected to leave and Leverkusen would like to embark on a new project.

Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso. [Photo by Leon Kuegeler/Getty Images]

The starting price for the €50 million-rated fullback is expected to be around €35-40 million, which is also his release clause, and on which the Germans do not want to negotiate.

The defender already has some offers from the Premier League, but wants to play in Spain, where Barcelona remains his only real option. This is particularly so because Real Madrid have already allegedly closed the signing of the Liverpool fullback Trent Alexander-Arnold, who will rotate with Dani Carvajal on their right flank.

The Catalans are clear that they should invest in the best-suited candidate, i.e., Jeremie Frimpong, instead of investing a smaller amount on another target. However, it remains to be seen whether they will have enough FFP margin to get him registered even if they end up signing him.