Barcelona are reportedly in negotiations with Manchester United over the possibility of signing veteran striker Manchester United in the January transfer window.
According to a report from Fichajes, Barcelona have initiated talks with Premier League giants Manchester United for the signing of Edinson Cavani in the upcoming winter transfer window.
Cavani arrived at Manchester United in the summer of 2020, signing on a free transfer after his contract with Paris Saint-Germain had expired. The 34-year-old was not a regular starter at Old Trafford in his debut season but proved his worth with some valuable goals, playing a key role in the Red Devils’ run to the finals of the UEFA Europa League.
Cavani’s displays prompted the 20-time English champions to hand him an extension of one year until 2022. However, the Uruguayan international has suffered in the current campaign due to various injury problems, while the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo has also affected his game-time.
Indeed, Cavani has featured just eight times in all competitions for Manchester United in 2021/22, starting just two. Given his current situation in England, Barcelona are prepared to offer him a way out in the January window.
The Catalan giants are in the market for a new centre-forward, having run short of options in the No. 9 role. Sergio Aguero, who was signed in the summer on a free transfer, has been sidelined indefinitely due to a heart condition. Luuk de Jong, meanwhile, is not in manager Xavi’s plans and will likely be offloaded in January while Martin Braithwaite has been struggling with injuries.
So, a new, natural striker is the need of the hour for the Blaugrana. It has led to links with several names like Arthur Cabral of FC Basel and Chelsea ace Timo Werner among various others. Cavani, too, has emerged as a transfer target for Barcelona to address their issues in the No. 9 role.
The Uruguayan is seen as a cost-effective option by the Catalans, while his volumes of experience would also add a lot of value to a relatively young squad. To that end, they are willing to take him off of Manchester United’s hands in January. However, they would be only offering him a contract till the end of the season with an option of extending it further by another year.
But the report adds that Manchester United might be unwilling to sanction an exit as they are worried about the lack of depth at the top in their own squad should an injury befall Ronaldo. Anthony Martial has been woefully out of form while both Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood are being used out wide, meaning they would need someone like Cavani on the roster as cover.
It remains to be seen if Barcelona’s talks with Manchester United lead to anything substantial in the coming weeks. For now, they are working on a deal to sign Manchester City’s Ferran Torres as well. A busy January could be on the cards at Camp Nou.
