Barcelona told they must pay €150m for dream defender signing | OneFootball

Barcelona are expected to address their defensive areas during the summer transfer window, given the concerns that were raised last season – particularly during their Champions League campaign, as they failed to keep a single clean sheet in the competition.

As of right now, bringing in a new central defender is not a priority, but once the striker situation is sorted, Barcelona are expected to look towards adding more quality and experience to the options that Hansi Flick currently has at his disposal.

In the last 24 hours, Cuti Romero has emerged as a target for the Catalans, but there is one Premier League star that is more liked than the Tottenham Hotspur man: William Saliba. According to CaughtOffside, the Arsenal defender is seen as a dream target by those in Catalonia, although that have been warned that a deal will be next to impossible.

Arsenal would want at least €150m to sell Saliba

The message from Arsenal is clear: Saliba is not for sale. However, they also note that if an offer were to come in, the response is that €150m, which would be a record transfer for a defender, would be what it takes for them to give the green light.

While it may not be a priority right now, it would be smart for Barcelona to add more experience to their back-line. They have retained the services of Andreas Christensen, but it’s clear that Inigo Martinez’s influence has been missed since he left for Al-Nassr last August.

For now, it remains to be seen whether Barcelona make a move to sign a new central defender, but even if they do, Saliba won’t be who they seek. The France international is very much out of range right now, but he could come into focus in the coming years as the financial situation improves in Catalonia.