Barcelona continue to focus primarily on signing a forward, with the plan to bring Julián Álvarez still not advancing significantly, but the club is also looking to strengthen its defense. The possibility of an elite center-back joining the team has now emerged after Cristian Romero confirmed to Tottenham that he will not continue at the club.
Romero was expected to wait for Barcelona to make an offer, but he may not be willing to do so for much longer, according to Sport. The Argentina international has attracted interest from Inter, with the Italian club looking to bring in a leader for its defense.
Barcelona are saving their financial resources for the forward position, making a potential €50 million fee for Romero difficult to meet if the club does not complete a sale first. That situation could allow Inter to become a serious competitor for the center-back, as Fabrizio Romano reports the interest.
Aymeric Laporte’s Barcelona opportunity
Barcelona’s interest in another center-back comes from a very different situation, with Aymeric Laporte emerging as a particularly interesting option after his performance for Spain alongside Pau Cubarsí. The veteran defender’s understanding with the young Barcelona center-back was one of the main points of attention for the Catalan club.
Laporte could be a great option (Carl Recine/Getty Images)
The club was already looking for left-footed center-backs, with Alessandro Bastoni appearing to be the preferred option. However, his price was considered too high for the club to make an offer at this time, while Marcos Senesi was another possibility largely because he could be available as a free agent, albeit he did not convince Barcelona as much.
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Laporte could now become an attractive alternative because of his experience, his understanding with Cubarsí and his price. The defender has a €15 million release clause, making the signing highly affordable for a player who is only 32 years old and could still have several years at the highest level.
Romero’s experience in Italy
A return to Italy would see Romero go back to a country where he previously enjoyed some of the best moments of his career. The Argentina international made 60 appearances for Genoa across two seasons and 42 for Atalanta in one campaign.
