According to a report by the Spanish daily SPORT, Nabil Fekir is the topic of attention from Barcelona over a potential summer transfer window transfer. While the Catalan giants are willing to spend €60 million to sign the French playmaker, their La Liga rivals Real Betis may seek as much as €80 million in exchange for his services.
Nabil Fekir has progressed in leaps and bounds since joining Real Betis from Lyon in July 2019. While the 28-year-old had some teething troubles during his first season at the Benito Villamarin Stadium, he found his feet last season and has increased his level of performance in the current campaign.
In 30 games in all competitions, the French forward has scored nine goals and provided seven assists. He has played a crucial part in Real Betis’ ascension to the top of La Liga. Los Verdiblancos are surprising contenders for a top-four finish this season, and Fekir’s performances will have a significant impact on where they finish in the table. At the same time, his performances have attracted the attention of the Barcelona team.
As recently as last week, rumours said that Frenkie de Jong is keen on remaining at Camp Nou, suggesting that the Catalan giants might not necessarily need a boost in their creative midfield options. In the meantime, with the uncertainty surrounding the future of Ousmane Dembele, Fekir might be a viable alternative for bolstering the offensive unit.
Barcelona is in pusuit of Nabil Fekir due to the uncertainity in the future surrounding Ousmane Dembele
The Frenchman seems set to leave Barcelona as a free agent and has been widely connected with several Premier League clubs, including Chelsea, Manchester United, and French club Paris Saint-Germain. Some publications even suggested that Barcelona was considering terminating Dembele’s contract after failing to move him during the January transfer window.
Even if Fekir will not be a direct replacement for Ousmane Dembele, he has the potential to play in a wide offensive position, which makes him a viable alternative for Barcelona to explore. And the Catalan giants are willing to make a €60 million bid to get the services of the World Cup champion from 2018.
Real Betis, on the other hand, will expect roughly €80 million in exchange for their prized asset, which seems to be a reasonable asking price since his contract will not expire until 2026. It remains to be seen if Barcelona will be prepared to spend €80 million to sign the French attacker or whether they can reduce the asking fee for his services.
What will FC Barcelona finally decide?