Reports | Barcelona close deals for Andreas Christensen and Franck Yannick Kessie
According to Goal, Barcelona have closed deals for both Andreas Christensen and Franck Yannik Kessie with the duo set to arrive as free-agents at the end of the season. This comes less than a day after Barcelona president Joan Laporta confirmed that the club had signed a midfielder and a defender.
With Barcelona still in serious financial trouble, it has seen reports indicate that the La Liga side have been predominantly looking at free-agents and players whose contracts are expiring. That has given the Camp Nou giants quite a few options as football’s whos-whos all have contracts running down. From Paulo Dybala to Chelsea’s defensive line, Barcelona have been linked to several players but Fabrizio Romano reported, earlier this month, that they have completed a deal for Frank Kessie.
However, Goal has now reported that the La Liga giants have indeed completed a deal for Kessie, the AC Milan midfielder, and Chelsea defender Andreas Christensen on a free-transfer. Both players had less than six months left on their contracts and thus could agree pre-contract agreements with clubs outside Italy and England respectively. This comes less than a few days after Barcelona president Joan Laporta confirmed that the club have completed moves for a midfielder and a center-back although he refused to name names.
"We have closed two players who end their contracts. One is a midfielder, the other one is a centre-back. But I'm not allowed to mention their names,” Laporta told RAC 1.
But the club’s moves are far from over as Goal has further reported that a swap deal between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Barcelona could be on the cards. The Premier League side loaned Adama Traore to the Camp Nou side in January while Fransico Trincao has been on loan, since last summer, at Wolves. That was also confirmed by Laporta, in the same interview, as he admitted that a swap deal is on the cards.
“I think a swap deal with Wolves between Francisco Trincao and Adama Traore could be a very good option. We’re really happy with Adama and his impact, attitude, performances,” he added.