Premier League side Manchester City are at loggerheads with La Liga giants Barcelona over securing the services of Dortmund’s Julian Weigl in the summer.
Defending La Liga champions Barcelona are keen on luring away the 21-year-old German midfielder as a long-term replacement for Sergio Busquets.
Barcelona is looking forward to strengthen their side and build a squad – keeping in mind the long-term future. They have already handed out new long-term contacts to Neymar and Surarez.
And now recent reports claim that the La Liga giants are on the verge of tying down their superstar Lionel Messi with a bumper new contract.
Keeping the long-term business in mind they have already signed fresh talents in the last summer transfer window. They brought in Lucas Digne, Samuel Umititi and Andre Gomes in order to keep more options open in the future.
Foottheball sources claim that Barcelona have identified Weigl as their main target for the summer, but they will face an uphill task in convincing the Dortmund star, as their former manager Pep Guardiola is in love with the Dortmund ace and wants to lure him away to Manchester City in the summer.
And even before taking charge at Etihad, Guardiola had revealed his fondness of the Dortmund star. He had insisted that Weigl was one of his main transfer target even before agreeing to take over at Manchester City.
Man City have enough financial power to pose a stiff competition to the Spanish giants. Both the clubs play a similar style of football and now Guardiola is searching the market for a long-term Yaya Toure replacement.
Weigl has proved his mettle at Borussia Dortmund and has recently signed a new contract with the German club, which expires in 2021.
Barcelona have been keeping tabs on Weigl’s progress and are now all geared up to launch a bid in the summer.