Barcelona have identified Goncalo Inacio as their number one defensive target for this summer. Sporting CP wants $77 m. And Barca can barely afford lunch.
The 24-year-old Portugal international is exactly what Hansi Flick needs. Left-footed centre-back. 224 appearances for Sporting. 21 goals and 14 assists from defence. The Academy product who's been their leader since 2020.
Deco has been tracking him for years. Already met with his agency. Inacio is the top priority. Not an alternative. Not a backup option. The guy.
Problem is, Sporting already saw this coming. They extended Inacio's contract to 2030 in December and set the release clause at $66m. Now they're reportedly demanding $77m to let him go. Sporting are not making this easy.
Barca need him badly. Inigo Martinez left for Al-Nassr last summer. No natural left-footed centre-back in the squad. Christensen's contract is expiring. The defence has been a problem all season, and everyone knows it.
Liverpool, Man United, and Real Madrid have all been linked in the past. Newcastle tried and failed. This is not a player flying under anyone's radar.
Schlotterbeck at Dortmund is the cheaper alternative at $50m, with his contract talks stalled. Cristian Romero from Spurs is another option. But Deco wants Inacio first and everyone else second.
Barcelona chasing a $77m centre-back while fighting financial constraints and also needing a Lewandowski replacement. The ambition is there. The money is the question. It always is with Barca.
Barcelona have identified Goncalo Inacio as their number one defensive target for this summer. Sporting CP wants $77 m. And Barca can barely afford lunch.
The 24-year-old Portugal international is exactly what Hansi Flick needs. Left-footed centre-back. 224 appearances for Sporting. 21 goals and 14 assists from defence. The Academy product who's been their leader since 2020.
Deco has been tracking him for years. Already met with his agency. Inacio is the top priority. Not an alternative. Not a backup option. The guy.
Problem is, Sporting already saw this coming. They extended Inacio's contract to 2030 in December and set the release clause at $66m. Now they're reportedly demanding $77m to let him go. Sporting are not making this easy.
Barca need him badly. Inigo Martinez left for Al-Nassr last summer. No natural left-footed centre-back in the squad. Christensen's contract is expiring. The defence has been a problem all season, and everyone knows it.
Liverpool, Man United, and Real Madrid have all been linked in the past. Newcastle tried and failed. This is not a player flying under anyone's radar.
Schlotterbeck at Dortmund is the cheaper alternative at $50m, with his contract talks stalled. Cristian Romero from Spurs is another option. But Deco wants Inacio first and everyone else second.
Barcelona chasing a $77m centre-back while fighting financial constraints and also needing a Lewandowski replacement. The ambition is there. The money is the question. It always is with Barca.