Barcelona are confident of securing a deal for Alvaro Morata this month, sources have revealed, with Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang also on their shortlist.
The forward is currently on loan at Juventus from Atletico Madrid but has been linked with a move to Barça for some time. At the beginning of the window it was even said that the deal was close to completion, but almost a full month on no agreement has been reached.
However, 90min understands that Barcelona have not given up hope of getting their man, with sources suggesting that there is confidence within the club that Morata will join before Monday’s deadline.
Xavi is thought to be a big fan of the striker and was pushing the Blaugrana to make the move in December.
The exact structure of the deal is unclear, though. Due to the Catalan giants’ financial issues, a permanent transfer would likely require someone departing the club, making a loan more feasible.
Should this not be possible, Barcelona do have a back-up plan. They are long-term admirers of Aubameyang, who was recently stripped of the Arsenal captaincy after the most recent of several disciplinary breaches.
The striker was subject to a loan bid from Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr last week, who were even willing to pay all of his wages. The player was not keen on that move either, and there are also doubts over whether he would want to join Barcelona as he enjoys living in London.
Conversely, if Morata moves to the Blaugrana, Aubameyang could also become an option for Juventus.
Elsewhere, Barça are edging closer to an agreement with Wolves over the transfer of Adama Traore – who had been a Tottenham target this month. Traore arrived in Catalonia on Friday to undergo a medical.
Source: 90min.com
