Barcelona have reportedly decided to cool down their interest in Napoli midfielder, who is also being eyed by Atletico Madrid and Newcastle United.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona have had their eyes on Napoli midfielder Fabian Ruiz for quite some time now but have decided to cool their interest in the Spanish international.
Ruiz came through the ranks at Real Betis and secured a move to Napoli in 2018, signing for the Serie A giants in a deal worth €18 million. The 26-year-old has been a mainstay in the centre of the park for the Partenopei ever since and has established himself as a household name across Europe.
However, Ruiz’s future at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium is far from secure as his current contract with Napoli stands to expire in the summer of 2023 and talks over a renewal have not progressed. Even though the Italian giants are interested in keeping hold of the Spanish international, the midfielder is keen on a move in the summer and his eyes set on a return to Spain.
There is no shortage of interest in Ruiz either, with Barcelona touted to be among his suitors. The report states that the Blaugrana have had their eyes on the midfielder for a while now. They had been keeping tabs on Ruiz before the appointment of former Real Betis boss Quique Setien as their manager in 2020 and were keen on the midfielder during his tenure as well as after his departure.
Barcelona have already signed a new midfielder heading into the summer, with a deal for Franck Kessie to join on a Bosman deal already in place. However, there may be need for another new midfield signing at Camp Nou as Frenkie de Jong finds himself edging closer to a summer transfer to Manchester United.
With Riqui Puig also likely to leave, the Blaugrana could do with another midfield signing, with Ruiz a target that manager Xavi Hernandez likes. However, as per the report, there have been no new contacts made between Barcelona and the Spanish international, hinting that the Catalan club may have cooled their interest in the 26-year-old.
Furthermore, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis is likely to make things difficult for an exit, which may have played a part in Barcelona looking at other options ahead of the summer. As for Ruiz, the midfielder continues to attract interest from Atletico Madrid, while Premier League club Newcastle United are also keen.
