Deco lines up one more Barcelona signing after priority deals near completion

Barcelona are preparing for a busy final phase of the summer transfer window, with sporting director Deco hoping to complete the departure of several players before making a late move for a high-level centre-back.

The Catalan club want to generate significant transfer income in the coming days, which would also increase their salary-cap margin and help them register players who remain outside the squad.

According to Sport, Barcelona’s immediate priorities are the signing of a striker, with Julian Alvarez still their leading target, as well as moves for Rodri and Cancelo. The deals for Rodri and Cancelo are considered very close to completion.

However, the club’s sporting department is also examining the possibility of making one further addition. Deco wants Barcelona to sign an elite central defender before the window closes, preferably a left-footed player, provided the financial calculations allow it.

Deco has viewed centre-back as an area requiring major reinforcement since the beginning of the summer. Barcelona explored a deal for Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni, but eventually ruled out that option after failing to reach complete agreement on the sporting merits of the transfer and because the player was considered too expensive.

The position had subsequently been placed on hold, but Ronald Araujo’s departure has reopened the issue. Barcelona are now determined to bring in another defender.

Head coach Hans Flick is pleased with the options provided by Pau Cubarsi and Gerard Martin, but understands the club’s desire to strengthen if an opportunity arises to sign a player of outstanding quality.

The squad also includes Andreas Christensen and Eric Garcia, although Garcia is expected to spend a significant amount of the current season at full-back. Academy player Alvaro Cortes is another option and is highly regarded within the club, yet Barcelona believe the team would benefit from the arrival of a more experienced defender to provide dependable cover.

The search has been under way for several days, with Barcelona looking for a centre-back capable of making a substantial improvement to their defence. Their preferred profile is similar to that of Inigo Martinez: a player able to provide immediate security while also adapting to the bold, attacking style used by Flick.

Finding that type of defender will not be straightforward. Left-footed centre-backs are in high demand and command substantial fees, meaning Barcelona are specifically seeking an opportunity that represents good value.

Aymeric Laporte has emerged as a prominent possibility in recent days. The player’s representatives, who are connected with Athletic Bilbao, raised the prospect of a deal and indicated that his contract contained a favourable release clause. Barcelona took that information into account and examined whether a transfer could be completed.

Laporte is considered the ideal candidate, although the club must decide whether to accelerate negotiations in the coming days. He could adapt quickly in Barcelona because he played alongside Cubarsi at centre-back during the World Cup, where he produced an impressive performance.

The main difficulty is that people close to Athletic Bilbao insist there is no release clause of the kind described. The Basque club also appears unwilling to enter negotiations over the player.

Another name to emerge in the past few hours is Castello Lukeba, the RB Leipzig defender who has been monitored closely by Barcelona scouts throughout the year.

Lukeba is still developing but has shown a strong ability to build play from the back and possesses considerable physical strength. Flick has received positive reports on him, and he has regularly appeared on Barcelona’s list of potential targets.

A move for Lukeba, however, would require Barcelona to spend heavily in the short term.

The centre-back position therefore remains firmly on the club’s agenda. Barcelona’s first focus will be completing the signings of the striker, Rodri and Cancelo, before turning their attention to defence.

That final move is the one Deco hopes will complete a high-quality transfer window for Barcelona.