Manchester City and Barcelona will compete next summer to sign a new star, as both clubs look to strengthen their midfield.
Barcelona are aiming to regain their place among the elite clubs in Europe under coach Hansi Flick, who is well aware that this will only be achieved with more strong signings.
According to information from the Spanish newspaper El Nacional, one name that is very high on their agendas is Joshua Kimmich, who is admired by both clubs for his exceptional physical and technical qualities. He is a true phenomenon, and the best part is that he could arrive for free once his contract with Bayern Munich expires.
This is undoubtedly a market opportunity that cannot be missed, as it is rare to sign a world-class footballer without having to pay anything in return. On the recommendation of Pep Guardiola, Manchester City will try to sign him at all costs, hoping to pair him with Rodri Hernández once the latter recovers from his serious knee injury, which will keep him out for the rest of the season.
However, Barcelona will also do everything in their power to ensure that the Bayern Munich player wears their shirt. They appreciate his incredible versatility and high level of performance, and it is also a personal request from Hansi Flick, who knows his fellow German very well and has an excellent relationship with him. However, financially, the salary offered by both clubs will not compare, with the advantage clearly going to the English side.
On the sporting side, it is clear that, at the moment, Manchester City can offer him a more coherent and stable project.
On the other hand, Barcelona is still in a rebuilding phase and is going through an economic crisis that will be difficult to recover from in the short term. But that does not mean that Joan Laporta and Deco are willing to give up on signing Kimmich.
They will insist and do everything necessary to convince him to join La Liga, rejecting any proposals made to him by City or any other club.
One of the key figures in this process will be Flick, who hopes to make things easier for Laporta and Deco, leaving everything nearly finalized so that the 29-year-old star ends up at Barcelona.