FC Barcelona Coach Flick Chooses Surprise Transfer Target

FC Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick has picked a surprising player as a potential transfer target this summer according to Mundo Deportivo, which cited anonymous sources.

The German is the man of the hour in Catalonia after leading Barca to an impressive domestic treble in his maiden term.

Had the Blaugrana managed to hold on for a few more minutes at the San Siro while nursing a 3-2 lead, after trailing by two goals, he would have also taken them to a first Champions League final since 2015.

That wasn’t to be, as Inter Milan equalized in the 93rd minute and then scored in extra time to secure a 4-3 second leg win on the night and dramatic 7-6 semifinal aggregate victory as part of what many called the best UCL last four tie of all time.

Reacting to the loss, and the amount of goals conceded against an outfit that didn’t manage to put a single strike past Paris Saint-Germain during a 5-0 thrashing that was the European competition’s final, Barca is already closing in on a goalkeeper talked up as potentially world class in Joan Garcia.

On Wednesday, the 24-year-old’s controversial switch from crosstown rival Espanyol to the La Liga kings should be completed by depositing his $28.5 million (€25 million) release clause, which could turn out to be a bargain in the long run.

After that deal has been wrapped up and announced, Barca will then move on to landing an attacker that is capable of playing primarily on the left wing and other positions across the frontline.

Top targets in that respect are Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford, who Flick gave his thumbs up to in January, and Liverpool’s Luis Diaz.

On Tuesday night, though, Mundo Deportivo reported that Flick has highlighted another potential signing that is “not incompatible” with a Colombian international in Luis Diaz who is now an “absolute priority” according to the newspaper.

That’s none other than Ivan Perisic, with whom Flick won the Champions League in 2020 and fancies to strengthen Barca’s attack “due to his versatility and experience”.

Unlike Diaz, who is expected to cost at least $97 million (€85 million) to buy from a Premier League giant that has lost Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid but is expected to sign German wonderkid Florian Wirtz, Perisic would cost nothing.

The 36-year-old, who has just won the Eredivisie with PSV Eindhoven in the Netherlands, also wouldn’t have high salary demands and wants to continue competing at the highest level to arrive at the World Cup in peak shape next year.

Perisic would give FC Barcelona more options heading forward

It goes without saying that born winner Perisic would give FC Barcelona more options moving forward. Not only able to hand the likes of Lamine Yamal and Raphinha a rest when needed, he would surely become a fan favourite for his work rate and intensity.