Atletico Madrid Not Ready To Accept Swap Deal For Carrasco, Barcelona Must Pay €19 Million
Barcelona are bracing themselves for a crucial summer ahead as they look to sanction the sale of a few stars in order to make room for newer players, including top target Lionel Messi.
Attacking players such as Ferran Torres, Ansu Fati and even Raphinha are among the players running the risk of being offloaded in the coming summer. But it must be noted that their potential exits could force Barça to sign reinforcements.
One of the club’s main targets is Yannick Carrasco. The Atletico Madrid star was linked with a move to Camp Nou in January, shortly after Memphis Depay’s exit, but the move did not materialise due to financial reasons. Atleti also were reluctant in sanctioning the sale of their star player.
But as we approach the summer transfer window, Atletico Madrid are likely to sell Carrasco, as part of their plans to generate fresh revenue. Barcelona, to that end, have attempted to sign the Belgian by offering Atleti an enticing swap deal involving Ferran Torres.
However, according to Diario AS, Atletico Madrid are not interested in a swap deal involving Torres. If Barcelona are to sign Carrasco this summer, they must meet Atletico’s demand, and pay a figure of around €19 million.
This could serve as a major blow for the Catalans, given the fact that they are not in a position to fund €19 million for Carrasco, especially at a time when the club must reduce their salary mass before they can even table an offer for a new player.
In order to fund the move for Carrasco, Barcelona must ensure the departure of several unwanted players in the market, including Clement Lenglet, Samuel Umtiti, and Sergino Dest, all of who are still part of the Barça senior side.
However, even if Barcelona are in a position to afford €19 million, it is unlikely the club will splash the cash on Carrasco, as there are pressing matters, where the club require an infusion of cash.
It must also be noted that head coach Xavi has yet to put his faith in the Atletico Madrid star, so it will not as a come surprise to see Barça explore other options in the market.
