Barcelona have reportedly made an offer of €20 million plus Marc Cucurella to land Real Betis breakout star Junior Firpo this summer.
According to a report by Catalan publication L’Esportiu de Catalunya, Barcelona have made their intention to sign Junior Firpo clear to Real Betis. The La Liga champions have tabled a €20 million bid, with a player on offer as well, in exchange for one of the breakout stars of the 2018-19 La Liga season.
Junior Firpo has made giant strides since bursting onto the scene last year. And, in just over a year with the Real Betis first-team setup, the 22-year-old has gone on to become the first-choice left-back for Los Verdiblancos while also showing his versatility by playing a more advanced position.
Injuries restricted the player’s involvement to a great deal last season, but in the 29 appearances he made, the Dominican Republic-born full-back made enough of an impression to be regarded as one of Europe’s most wanted defenders. And, after his exploits with Spain at the Under-21 Euros, he is now attracting the interest of Barcelona.
The La Liga champions have not been too active in this summer’s transfer window, with Ernesto Valverde’s squad warranting only a few additions. One such area has been addressed with the signing of Antoine Griezmann, leaving the left-back slot the only position that needs the Barcelona manager’s attention.
Jordi Alba has been one of the best full-backs across Europe for some years now. But, as has been the case with Luis Suarez in seasons gone by, the Spaniard has not had an able deputy, thus piling on the workload for him. With Juan Miranda leaving Valverde unimpressed, Barcelona need to sign a left-back from another La Liga club.
Junior Firpo is thus, a viable target for the La Liga champions, who could initially sign the 22-year-old as an understudy to Alba before succeeding him when the time comes for the Spanish international to move. Marc Cucurella, who was re-signed by Barcelona this week, could have been an option for the Blaugrana.
But, the 20-year-old has been immediately linked with an exit from Camp Nou, with Getafe being named as the likeliest destination. Real Betis though, could land him instead, as per the report, which suggests that Barcelona are looking to use the La Masia product as a makeweight in a player plus cash deal to land Firpo.
The Catalan giants are offering €20 million plus Cucurella, with Juan Miranda being presented as an alternate option as well. But, Real Betis want at least €30 million in exchange for their star prospect and are also weighing up whether they want Cucurella as part of the deal, having already signed Alfonso Pedraza this summer.
So, it looks as if Barcelona will need to improve their offer if they are to land Junior Firpo this season. If the report is anything to go by, at least €30 million must be on offer in addition to a player, and it remains to be seen if the La Liga champions are willing to match these demands.
