Manchester City contact Barcelona midfield target with €115 million release clause

While Barcelona’s boardroom is largely focused on identifying coach Xavi Hernandez’s successor, the club has various other areas of concern to keep in mind too.

Indeed, some examples of the multifaceted challenges facing Barcelona’s management include carrying out exit operations to comply with La Liga’s financial fair play obligations while fortifying the squad with reinforcements.

And strengthening the defensive midfield position will arguably be one of the priorities for the Catalan giants.

In their quest to acquire a physically robust profile, Barcelona have previously been linked abundantly with Newcastle United’s Bruno Guimarães.

During the previous winter transfer window, the Blaugranes viewed his signing with rose-tinted lenses, failing to sign him owing to financial limitations.

Barcelona set to face competition for Bruno Guimarães

Now, according to Mundo Deportivo the 26-year-old Brazilian international midfielder is one of the targets of Manchester City in the upcoming summer transfer window.

Guimaraes has a release clause already set at €115 million in a contract that expires in 2028, which indicates financially affluent clubs currently stand a chance of signing him.

At the moment, Guimaraes is being considered by City and other Premier League sides that plan to restructure their rosters for the upcoming summer.

As per the information, Manchester City have already gotten in touch with Guimaraes’ entourage to discuss the details of the signing. The whopping €115 million sum will reportedly be paid in three installments.

Manchester City making their move for Bruno Guimaraes. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Unfeasible for Barcelona

Apart from Barcelona and Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, and Liverpool are among the interested parties vying for Guimaraes’ signature.

Barcelona will have to break the bank if they yearn to sign him, an unlikely scenario given where they stand financially.

Nonetheless, the club will likely keep their eyes peeled for other targets, with reports previously arguing that Barcelona are highly interested in Joshua Kimmich.

Feyenoord’s defensive midfielder Mats Wieffer has also entered the club’s crosshairs, with claims that the €25 million-rated midfielder is growing as a possible target.