Cameroon international Alex Song is reportedly on his way out of Barcelona with Rubin Kazan the favourites to sign the 28-year-old.
Alex Song joined Barcelona from Arsenal in the summer window of 2012 for a fee of £15m, signing a five year contract with the club. He made his Barcelona debut in the Spanish Super Cup against Real Madrid. The Cameroonian went on to make 39 appearances over two years for the La Liga champions before moving back to Premier League on loan to West Ham ahead of the 2014-15 season.
Song featured regularly for the Hammers, making 28 appearances in his debut season with the Londoners notching up 3 assists. The appointment of Slaven Bilic brought about a change in West Ham’s playing style and the midfielder was restricted to only 12 league appearances for the club in a season where the club finished seventh, just four points away from fourth-placed Manchester City.
Alex Song made his senior international debut for Cameroon in 2005 at the age of 18 and has since gone on to make 49 appearances for the African nation. The midfielder has already announced his international retirement in 2015 at the age of 27 to focus more on his playing career at the club level.
The former Arsenal player was used mostly at the central defensive position at Barcelona due to the abundance of midfield options for the club. Song’s chances were already restricted due to the presence of Spanish international Gerard Pique and Javier Mascherano at the heart of the Blaugranes‘ defence. Barcelona have now gone ahead and signed French international Samuel Umtiti from Lyon which is going to further dampen the Cameroonian’s hopes of regular first-team playing time.
Goal have now reported that according to Spanish publication Sport, Alexandre Song is set to leave Camp Nou for the Russian Premier League and sign for Rubin Kazan. The same story has been reported by calciomercato quoting French publication L’Equipe. The reports also state that West Ham were offered the chance to sign the 28-year-old but have passed on the opportunity. It is reported that a deal has been agreed in principle for the midfielder to join the Russian club for an undisclosed fee.
Barcelona seem to have more than enough squad depth at the central defensive position, and with the arrival of Samuel Umtiti, Song’s chances are set to be limited. The move seems logical for both the player and the club.
Barcelona want Sergi Samper to sign a new contract
The 21-year-old La Masia product has been at Barcelona since the age of six and the Blaugranes see the youngster as a future starter at Camp Nou. Samper made his senior debut for Barcelona last season after clocking more than 100 league appearances for Barcelona’s B side. Ghanasoccernet have reported that, according to Spanish publication AS, Barcelona want their youth product to sign a new contract with the club.
The report also states that there has been reported interest from Premier League club Arsenal with Arsene Wenger looking defensive midfielder. But Arsenal have already signed Granit Xhaka from Gladbach which makes an offer from the Gunners highly unlikely.
The news of Barcelona offering Samper a new contract was also confirmed by the club’s technical director Robert Fernandez, as per reports from SportsMole, while talking to the reporters.
“[Samper] will renew [his contract] next week, but all players must earn their place in the team. He always wanted to succeed at Barca and had options to leave. We have a lot of confidence in this player,” Fernandez told reporters.
The Spanish U21 international is highly rated at Camp Nou and with the Barcelona hierarchy prepared to offer him a new deal to tie him down at the club, the 21-year-old seems to have a bright future ahead in his blossoming footballing career.
