With the transfer window edging closer to its final day, Barcelona eye out Valencia man, Rodrigo Moreno, as a temporary replacement in Luis Suárez’ absence, which could send two players the other way.
Barcelona are working on what seems to be the final trick up their sleeve: with the transfer window about to close, the club has set Valencia front-man Rodrigo Moreno as their target. To easen the deal, financially, the Catalans could send two players to Valencia, claims Mundo Deportivo in a report Monday morning.
Recently, reports have come out from Spain stating that Barcelona have targeted the now out-of-favor Rodrigo Moreno, as the replacement for the sidelined Luis Suárez, who, due to an injury and a subsequent operation, has been ruled out for four months. The Uruguayan is set to return in May, and with no real striker option other than Antoine Griezmann, who still is getting used to his new life at Barcelona, the club has, reportedly, deemed a stop-gap signing necessary.
Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo reports that talks between Barcelona, and Rodrigo’s current club, Valencia, have been — and still are — ongoing, as the January transfer window edges ever closer to its final day.
Valencia have, per the report, valued their striker at 50 million euros, although Barcelona will hope to lessen the transfer sum. Instead, the club could be willing to include players in the deal, with B-team forward, Abel Ruiz, and Senegalese right-back, Moussa Wagué, seeming as likely candidates, per the report.
While Abel Ruiz’ move to Sporting Clube de Portugal reportedly is in its very advanced stages, he has been linked with a move to Valencia, and Los Ches could very much be interested in his signing, should they lose Rodrigo.
As for Moussa Wagué, the player does have an offer from French side OGC Nice, but would, per Mundo Deportivo, prefer to stay in La Liga, with the prospect of playing for Valencia being intriguing to the defender.
Super-agent Jorge Mendes also plays a role in the deal, as he has a very close relationship to Valencia’s president, Peter Lim, as well as Rodrigo Moreno. The agent met with Barcelona’s Óscar Grau, Éric Abidal, and Ramón Planes last Tuesday, as revealed by Mundo Deportivo, and the agent viewed a deal for Rodrigo to Barcelona as a feasible one.
In this sense, the newspaper claims that the financial aspect on the deal between the club and the striker already have been agreed on, with Barça being much aware of the current salaries of the other team members, as to comply with FIFA’s Financial Fair Play rules.
Valencia do currently have a shortage of right-backs, with Daniel Wass being the stop-gap solution, and Wagué as an addition to the squad, even temporarily, could strengthen the team, as well as help fund the move for Rodrigo.
Rodrigo joined Valencia on a permanent deal in the summer of 2015, when he moved from Portuguese outfit Benfica, after having had a one-year loan spell with Los Ches in the 2014/15 season. The 28-year-old’s contract with Valencia runs out in 2022, with the Spanish striker having had his last renewal in 2017.
