Barcelona are reportedly in advanced talks to sign Rodrigo Moreno from La Liga rivals Valencia, who value the Spanish star at €120 million.
According to a report by Spanish publication Sport, Barcelona have stepped up their pursuit of Valencia striker Rodrigo Moreno. The Spanish international, who has a €120 million release clause, is the subject of advanced talks between the Blaugrana and Valencia over a move in the summer transfer window.
Rodrigo has been one of the most underrated commodities in La Liga since making his way back to Spain to join Valencia from SL Benfica. His exploits for Los Che have not only made him an indispensable figure at the Mestalla, but have also helped him nail down a spot in the Spanish national side.
A return of 15 goals and 10 assists in 51 appearances across all competitions may not be impressive enough. But, the fact that the 28-year-old has a sense of the big occasions – he netted the winner in the Copa del Rey final, among other games – means he could be an important buy for a big club. In particular, Barcelona seem interested in Rodrigo.
For years now, the La Liga champions have struggled to have a reliable backup option for Luis Suarez in the first-team squad. The likes of Munir El Haddadi, Paco Alcacer and Kevin-Prince Boateng have all tried and failed, thus piling on the burden on the Barcelona first-choice striker.
With Rodrigo proving to be one of the best strikers in La Liga during his time with Valencia, he could be the ideal solution for Barcelona. And, the Catalans have taken major steps to secure the services of the Spanish international, having begun talks with Los Che over a summer move.
However, there are a few snags in Barcelona’s way before they can land the 28-year-old star. Firstly, his €120 million release clause poses a problem, seeing as he is reportedly only being considered to be a backup to Suarez. But, the fact that Barcelona are in talks with Valencia could mean that a transfer fee might be a topic of discussion.
Barcelona share a fantastic relationship with Valencia, having facilitated a number of transfers from the club in recent years. With Los Che also showing an interest in Denis Suarez and Jasper Cillessen, perhaps a lower fee could be negotiated.
But, Rodrigo wants a significant role if he is to join Barcelona, which might be a problem, since he is primarily being lined up to play second fiddle to Suarez. With aforementioned Paco Alcacer being the prime example of what could go wrong for the 28-year-old at Camp Nou, there could be doubts over a move.
For now, what appears certain is that after a week of precariousness that also saw Ernesto Valverde having his future up in the air, Rodrigo is back on the agenda for Barcelona, with the striker being a priority for Valverde himself.
A number of obstacles beckon the La Liga champions before they can sign the Valencia striker, and it remains to be seen how things develop in the coming weeks. The €120 million-rated star though, could well be on his way to Barcelona, if things are to fall in place for them.
