Barcelona had a relatively quiet week by their standards last week, with just the signing of Karim Adeyemi made official and the continued transfer links. Players are coming back (injured) and the hard work starts now.
Pre-season is never much fun for any fan, but it's vitally important for every footballer to get up to speed. We sit through the slower tempo and lack of intensity, all the while counting down the days until proper competitive football finally returns.
Waiting a month, or just under, can feel like a lifetime, but thankfully we can always rely on Barcelona's transfer business to keep us entertained, amused, and cautiously optimistic. The likes of Rodri and Julián Álvarez continue to dominate the rumour mill, while moves for Junior Kroupi and a new midfielder are beginning to look increasingly unlikely.
Julian Alvarez pursuit to heat up
Barcelona's pursuit of Julián Álvarez is gathering real pace, with Barcelona asking the Argentine to reiterate his intentions to join Barcelona in order to progress the negotiations. Atlético Madrid have long insisted the Argentine isn't for sale, but Laporta and co will be hoping a strike or statement of any kind will work in their favour.
Joan Laporta remains determined to land a marquee striker following Robert Lewandowski's departure, and Álvarez, fresh off a stellar World Cup campaign, is viewed as the ideal long-term fit for Hansi Flick's system. Expect this saga to potentially heat up in the coming days as both clubs push for answers before pre-season ramps up further.
Barcelona in England for pre-season
Barcelona have touched down in England as part of their pre-season preparations, with Hansi Flick using the trip to fine-tune his squad ahead of their defence of the La Liga. The tour and base at St. Georges Park gives Flick a chance to assess fringe players and returning faces alike in a competitive but low-stakes environment, while also offering the club a valuable commercial and fan-engagement opportunity in one of football's biggest markets.
A friendly is lined up during the stay, with a return to Catalonia post the weekend. The friendly match against Birmingham will be shown on their YouTube channel and BarcaPlay, along with the Joan Gamper fixture.
First chance to see Adeyemi
In that game, it will be the first chance to see Karim Adeyemi in a Barca shirt. The German looks set to feature when Barcelona take on Birmingham in their upcoming pre-season friendly, after being announced in the travelling party. Flick is expected to hand him minutes to assess how quickly he can integrate into the squad's attacking structure, with the German winger already turning heads in training.
In addition to Adeyemi, there is an opportunity that we could see the likes of Fermin Lopez, Ronald Araujo, Marc Bernal and Hamza Abdelkarim are among the names in the 30-man squad.
Another exciting week to be a Barcelona fan.
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