FC Barcelona Coach Xavi Insists On Making €60 Million Signing: Reports

FC Barcelona head coach Xavi Hernandez is insisting that the Catalans make a €60 million ($66 million) signing this summer, according to Mundo Deportivo.

The club legend is reeling from the departure of his captain and former teammate Sergio Busquets, who announced last month that he will leave Camp Nou after 15 years when his contract expires on June 30.

Signing a pivot is of primary importance to Xavi with his men set to defend their La Liga crown and try and go beyond the group stage in the Champions League after back-to-back failures to progress in the past two seasons.

Last weekend, Mundo Deportivo reported that Bayern Munich star Joshua Kimmich was willing to try and force his way out of Bavaria in order to don Blaugrana.

A few days later, however, transfer rumors surrounding the German international started to cool down after he said: “I still have, as everyone knows, two years left on my contract and we have big plans for those two years at Bayern.”

Xavi, who has spoken in public about his admiration for the Real Sociedad midfielder, is now therefore insisting on signing Martin Zubimendi according to Mundo Deportivo.

Given Barca’s financial difficulties, paying the €60 million required to release Zubimendi from his contract won’t be easy.

Neither will convincing the 24-year-old to leave his boyhood club, telling El Diario Vasco: “I’m more motivated to take Asier Illarramendi’s No. 4 than Busquets’ No. 5,” last week.

Futrhermore, his La Real manager Imanol Aguacil has claimed: “I know what he thinks and I know what he wants. And I have no doubt that Martin wants to play in the Champions League with us next year.”

“He has a contract with us, he wants to continue with us, I think he is in the best place to continue growing… And he wants to be with us. There is nothing more to say,” Aguacil added.

Other options that Barca might turn to if they fail to raise the funds for Zubmendi include Fiorentina’s Sofyan Amrabat and Inter Milan’s Marcelo Brozovic who could arrive as part of a part exchange deal that sends Franck Kessie in the other direction.