Barcelona have entered the race to sign Bayern Munich defender Niklas Sule, who is also a transfer target for Real Madrid, Liverpool and Chelsea.
According to a report from El Nacional, Barcelona are set to battle it out with Real Madrid, Liverpool and Chelsea to sign Bayern Munich star Niklas Sule, who is set to become a free agent in the summer.
Sule has been with Bayern Munich since 2017, when he signed from boyhood club TSG Hoffenheim, and has tasted immense success with the Bavarian giants. The 26-year-old has made over 150 appearances for the German giants, winning several trophies in the process. He has been an ever-present figure in the side for Bayern this season under Julian Nagelsmann.
Despite his importance within the first-team setup, the ex-Hoffenheim starlet has his heart set on a move away from the Allianz Arena in the summer when his contract runs out. Sule’s situation has alerted several elite clubs across the continent, who are now queuing to sign him on a Bosman transfer. Liverpool, Real Madrid and Chelsea are all in the hunt for his signing, with Barcelona also entering the fray.
Barcelona are in the market for reinforcements in defence as Gerard Pique winds down his illustrious career, while both Clement Lenglet and Samuel Umtiti are out of favour and will be moved on this month or in the summer. While the Catalans have their sights on elite defenders like Aymeric Laporte and Matthijs de Ligt, they do not have the financial muscle to pull off those deals.
As a result, the Blaugrana are looking for cost-effective solutions in the market. And Sule, who could be available on a free transfer, has become an appealing target for the club given his age, experience and proven pedigree. However, they will have to battle it out with Real Madrid, Chelsea and Liverpool for his signing.
Los Blancos are on the lookout to bolster their defence next summer after losing Raphael Varane and Sergio Ramos last year. David Alaba and Eder Militao have forged a solid partnership. But there is little quality beyond them as Jesus Vallejo is out of favour while Nacho is not getting any younger. A move for Antonio Rudiger is in the works, but Carlo Ancelotti is keen on signing his compatriot Niklas Sule as well.
Chelsea, meanwhile, are keen on the German international as the future of several of their defenders remains uncertain. Cesar Azpilicueta, Andreas Christensen, Antonio Rudiger and Thiago Silva are out of contract in the summer. While Silva is expected to pen a new deal, the other three continue to be linked with an exit.
As for Liverpool, their interest in Sule is questionable, considering the options that Jurgen Klopp already has at his disposal. Ibrahima Konate was added to the defensive contingent last summer, which already consists of Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip, Joe Gomez and Nat Phillips. Even though the latter is linked with an exit, with youngsters like Rhys Williams and Billy Koumetio coming through, there is no immediate need for a new centre-half.
With the race to sign Sule heating up, it will be interesting to see who comes out on top in this battle.
