Barcelona will reportedly look to sign 26-year-old Belgian international Wout Faes from newly promoted Premier League club Leicester City.
According to a report by Spanish outlet Fichajes, Wout Faes is the subject of interest from FC Barcelona. The Catalan giants are scouring the market for a centre-back heading into the summer transfer window. The Leicester City defender has thus emerged as a target, with the 26-year-old being an admirer of Carles Puyol.
Wout Faes and his Leicester City journey
Wout Faes has been a dependable performer for Leicester City since arriving from Stade de Reims in September 2022. He endured a frustrating debut season at the King Power Stadium as the Foxes suffered relegation from the Premier League. However, he was excellent in the 2023/24 campaign.
The 26-year-old was a mainstay at the back as Leicester City won the EFL Championship title to immediately return to the Premier League. Faes amassed more than 4,000 minutes of game time across 48 appearances in all competitions, chipping in with two goals. Meanwhile, the player’s progress has not gone unnoticed, capturing the attention of several well-known clubs across Europe.
Reports in the last 12 months have linked the Belgian international with Premier League bigwigs like Tottenham Hotspur. However, a move to La Liga might be on the cards, with Barcelona keen on securing Wout Faes’s services in the summer transfer window.
Barcelona interested in Faes
Barcelona’s interest in Wout Faes is understandable. The Catalan giants are scouring the market for a centre-back heading into the summer transfer window amid uncertainties surrounding the long-term futures of Andreas Christensen and Ronald Araujo. In addition, Barcelona will aim to offload the out-of-favour Clement Lenglet.
While Lenglet has rejected Barcelona’s proposal to let him leave as a free agent, he will likely leave the club in the summer transfer window. Faes has thus emerged as a viable target for Barcelona, with the Belgian defender’s admiration of Carles Puyol making him an attractive target.
However, sealing the deal to sign the 26-year-old from Leicester City might not be straightforward for Barcelona. Faes’s current contract with the Foxes runs until June 30, 2027, meaning the newly-promoted Premier League club can demand a premium to part ways with him in the summer transfer window.
