RB Leipzig join race to sign departing Barcelona midfielder | OneFootball

Barcelona are expected to part with several players before the summer transfer window comes to a close next week. Alejandro Balde, Toni Fernandez and Guille Fernandez have all been linked with moves away, but right now, the most likely candidate to move on is Marc Casado, who has no place in Hansi Flick’s plans for the 2026-27 season.

For weeks, it has been taken for granted that Casado will leave, but with little time to go until the deadline, he’s still in Catalonia. However, he’s been training away from his teammates, thus making it clear that he has no future in Flick’s squad.

Casado has been linked with moves to England and Türkiye in recent weeks, but now, he could end up in Germany. As per Fabrizio Romano, RB Leipzig have asked about the conditions of a possible deal for the La Masia graduate, whom they could look to sign over the coming days.

Could a swap deal be on the cards?

Leipzig could be a very good move for Casado, as the Bundesliga side have a knack for developing players. If he is assured of a starting role, it would make a lot of sense for him to explore that opportunity, although the price would need to be right for Barcelona, who value their midfielder in the region of 30m.

But rather than receiving money for Casado, Barcelona could instead include him in a player-plus-cash deal for Castello Lukeba, whom they have an interest in signing. The France international is currently one of the club’s leading targets, and in the event that the decision is made to strengthen Flick’s defensive options, he would be well-placed.