Barcelona take lead in race to sign Bundesliga defender | OneFootball

Barcelona are currently prioritising the signing of a new striker, but there are also plans for one or two defenders to be added to Hansi Flick’s squad. The profile of a left-sided centre-back is one that sporting director Deco has studied in recent months, and after Alessandro Bastoni was discarded, new names have come to the fore.

In recent days, Real Betis defender Natan has emerged as a candidate that Barcelona are currently considering, and now Castello Lukeba has been thrown into the mix. According to reports from England (via MD), the RB Leipzig man is being courted by the Catalans, while Arsenal are also said to be looking at him as a possible option for the summer.

In the last few days, Barcelona have made contact with Lukeba’s representatives, and the level of their interest has seen them jump to the front of the queue in the race for his signature. The Frenchman, who was unlucky to miss out on a call-up for the 2026 World Cup, fits the profile wanted by Flick and Deco, while he can also operate as a left-back, which is another position that could be addressed over the course of the summer.

Lukeba would be considered a better fit than Bastoni for the Barcelona backline, given his aggressive nature in defence and good ball control. At 23, he also has many years ahead of him, which makes him an even more attractive prospect for the Catalan side.

Leipzig won’t let Lukeba leave easily

Image via Frederic Scheidemann/Getty Images

The problem that Barcelona would encounter is Leipzig’s stance. The Bundesliga club value Lukeba very highly, and thus, they could look to demand a fee close to his €80m release clause. This would surely be too much for the La Liga champions, given they’ve already spent €80m on Anthony Gordon, and are also spending to spend upwards of €100m on a new striker – likely to be Julian Alvarez.