Manchester United and Uruguay centre-forward Edinson Cavani is keen on joining Barcelona in the summer transfer window next year.
According to a report from The Times, Manchester United striker Edinson Cavani has his heart set on a transfer to La Liga heavyweights Barcelona in the summer of 2022.
Cavani signed for Manchester United last year, arriving on a Bosman deal after his contract with Paris Saint-Germain had run out. The 34-year-old became a key part of the team under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, bagging 17 goals in all competitions, helping the club to a second-place finish in the Premier League and the finals of the UEFA Europa League.
Impressed by the veteran striker’s contributions, Manchester United extended Cavani’s stay for another season, but the Uruguayan international has found game-time hard to come by in 2021/22. The arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho has played a role in it, while the forward has also been struggling with recurring injury problems.
Barcelona are long-term admirers of the 34-year-old centre-forward and are interested in signing him in the upcoming January transfer window. The Catalans have been hit hard by injuries this term, with Ansu Fati, Martin Braithwaite facing a significant spell out on the sidelines while Sergio Aguero could be staring at early retirement after being diagnosed with a heart condition.
As a result, the Blaugrana are scouring the market for a new striker, with Cavani on their wishlist, along with several other players, including Chelsea star Timo Werner.
As per the report, Cavani is also open to joining Barcelona, although he wants to move to Catalonia only at the end of the ongoing campaign. It is claimed that the 34-year-old wants to see how the season pans out at Old Trafford now that Ralf Rangnick has taken over as the interim manager before taking a call on his future.
The report further adds that the Uruguayan international believes he can continue playing at the highest level for at least two more seasons and is keen on testing himself in Spain, having had successful stints in Italy, France, and England. So, while a move to Barcelona is very much of appeal, Cavani wants the switch to happen in the summer when he will become a free agent.
Such an arrangement would suit Barcelona financially, given their difficulties on the economic front. However, considering that they urgently need reinforcements in attack, it will be interesting to see if they convince Cavani to make the jump in January itself or look at alternatives such as Arthur Cabral.
