Barcelona: Koeman hopes Messi stays for 'many more years'
Barcelona have surprisingly emerged as potential suitors for Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo. With the summer transfer window now open, Ronald Koeman is looking to strengthen the club. And a major shock could be on the cards with the Real Madrid icon seemingly lined up for a blockbuster move.
According to Spanish newspaper AS, Barcelona are keen on Ronaldo.
They previously tried to sign the forward from Manchester United back in 2006, only to end up missing out after Sir Alex Ferguson made it clear the Portugal international would be staying.
Ronaldo spent nine years at Real Madrid, often hurting Barcelona in the process, and departed for Juventus in 2018.
With the Old Lady looking to balance their finances in the wake of the coronavirus crisis, however, a parting of the ways could be on the cards.
So Express Sport will now take a look at how Barcelona may line up if Ronaldo arrives, Lionel Messi stays put and Manchester City pair Aymeric Laporte and Ilkay Gundogan touch down.
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Whatever happens at Barcelona this summer, goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen won’t be going anywhere.
The Germany international had to wait a couple of years before making his mark at the Nou Camp, initially arriving as Claudio Bravo’s understudy back in 2014.
But, ever since Bravo’s move to City five years ago, Ter Stegen has been a safe pair of hands for Barcelona.
The Catalan giants had held talks about snapping up Gianluigi Donnarumma to provide competition for the German, who was ruled out of Euro 2020 due to injury.
But the Italy international is far likelier to join Paris Saint-Germain instead having recently had a medical with the Ligue 1 giants.
Under Koeman, Barcelona have often played with three at the back.
They’ve already bolstered their backline by signing Eric Garcia on a free transfer from Manchester City - but he may not be the only player to swap the Etihad for the Nou Camp.
Barcelona are also admirers of Aymeric Laporte and reports recently suggested the former Athletic Bilbao star was putting pressure on his team to let him go.
Should that happen, Garcia and Laporte would reunite at the back.
And they’d also play alongside Gerard Pique, who is still going strong despite entering the twilight years of his career.