Joan Laporta Insisting On Signing Wolves Midfielder Against Xavi’s Wishes

Following the news of Sergio Busquets’ exit from Camp Nou at the end of the season, Barcelona have naturally stepped up their pursuit of a new midfielder in the coming summer.

Xavi’s ‘wet dream’ is to sign Martin Zubimendi, but his signing has been practically ruled out due to Real Sociedad’s €60 million demands. This has led to speculations linking Ruben Neves to a move to Barcelona.

However, Neves’ potential acquisition has caused a bit of tension inside the Barcelona camp. A certain part of the coaching staff, including head coach Xavi Hernandez believes the player is not fit to be an ideal Barcelona player.

Reports earlier this month had even gone on to claim that Joan Laporta will not go ahead with the negotiations, as he ‘blindly trusts’ the word of Xavi. This came against the backdrop of Wolves offering €30 million for Ansu Fati, with Ruben Neves involved in the equation.

However, a recent report from ESPN has contradicted those claims, suggesting that Laporta has been making moves to get the Neves deal done, despite the objections of Xavi.

Laporta, who shares a very close relationship with Jorge Mendes, the agent of Neves, insists the Premier League player could be an ideal solution to Barcelona’s midfield problems, even though Xavi has informed him of his lack of trust in the player.

The Barcelona coach is not fond of Neves’ lack of defensive prowess. He is also apprehensive about the Portuguese international’s technical skills and whether or not it will become a hindrance at Camp Nou.

In Laporta’s defence, though, Barcelona do not seem to have too many options. As mentioned earlier, Zubimendi has been ruled out due to his hefty release clause, while Barcelona are also not in a position to pay Sofyan Amrabat’s €25 million demands.

The signing of Neves, therefore, seems more accessible for now. But should Barcelona get the deal done, it will be interesting to see whether the investment pays off in the long run.