Barcelona ace Ferran Jutgla wanted by Villarreal

Barcelona forward Ferran Jutgla has reportedly emerged as a summer transfer target for La Liga rivals Villarreal.

According to Fichajes, Villarreal are interested in making a swoop for Barcelona forward Ferran Jutgla in the upcoming summer transfer window.

Jutgla came through the youth ranks at Espanyol and had loan stints with Valencia Under-19 and Sant Andreu before he arrived at Barcelona last summer on a free transfer. The 23-year-old was signed for the club’s B team but got a chance with the senior setup in late 2021 after Xavi Hernandez took over the reins.

With the Barcelona squad crippled with injuries, Xavi decided to hand B team prospects like Jutgla, Ez Abde and Ilias Akhomach an opportunity at the senior level. And Jutgla made a decent impression, bagging two goals in nine matches for the Catalans’ senior team. He also caught the eye of the manager with his versatility and commitment.

However, with Barcelona bringing in attacking reinforcements during the January transfer window, Jutgla returned to the B team, where he has been on fire. The former Espanyol forward is currently the leading goalscorer in the Primera Division RFEF with 18 goals, helping Sergi Barjuan’s team make a push for the playoff positions.

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However, Jutgla’s contract with Barcelona stands to expire on June 30. And even though the club retain the option of extending it by another year, the 23-year-old’s performances and contract situation have led to interest from clubs, with Villarreal, in particular, keen on signing the forward.

Villarreal are enjoying a dream season as they made it as far as the UEFA Champions League semi-finals, eliminating the likes of Juventus and Bayern Munich along the way. However, Unai Emery’s men came up short against the mighty Liverpool in the penultimate stages of the competition.

Emery is already planning for the upcoming season and has identified several key targets to improve his squad. For starters, the Villarreal manager is keen on signing a new goalkeeper and has his sights set on Chelsea’s Kepa Arrizabalaga. And the Yellow Submarine are also intent on adding another goalscoring forward to their ranks, with Jutgla emerging as an option.

The 23-year-old could see his contract extended by Barcelona in the coming weeks. However, with the pathway to the first team blocked, the attacker might decide to push for an exit. And Villarreal will be waiting to see how the situation develops as they look to pounce on any opportunity to sign Jutgla.