Barcelona president Joan Laporta has outlined his next transfer priority after agreeing a deal to sign Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski.
Despite their recent financial struggles, Barca have spent big this summer and have landed Polish goalscoring ace Lewandowski in a deal that could cost up to €50million (£42.6m). They have also splashed out to sign winger Raphinha from Leeds United in a transfer worth €65m (£55.4m) including add-ons.
On top of that, Xavi’s side have also signed centre-back Andreas Christensen and central midfielder Franck Kessie on free transfers following their exits from Chelsea and AC Milan respectively, as well as midfielder Pablo Torre from Racing Santander for €5m (£4.3m).
After that quintet of deals, Laporta has outlined his intentions to bolster the club’s defence, with Christensen’s former Blues teammates Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso both linked with interest from the Camp Nou side, as well as Chelsea transfer target Jules Kounde, who plies his trade with Sevilla.
“We want to make a competitive team, give Xavi the tools to have a good team and I think we are on the right track,” Laporta said in an interview with former Barca striker and manager Hristo Stoichkov, per Marca. “My dream is for Barca to become a world reference again and we are working for it. If the economy doesn't recover, it will be very difficult.
“We are achieving it, but we have to work even harder. Football doesn't wait. We have to do it now. With [the contract extension for Ousmane] Dembele, Raphinha, Lewandowski, Kessie, Auba [Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang], Ferran [Torres]... I think [director of football] Mateu Alemany and [sporting advisor] Jordi Cruyff are doing a good job.
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“Now it's time to work on defence. Xavi has us focused on a series of players and I hope that the Catalans can take some more joy.”
The Catalan club have been heavily linked with transfer interest in Blues duo Azpilicueta and Alonso this summer, with both men now into the final year of their contracts at Stamford Bridge.
Barcelona's defence is in a time of upheaval; veteran right-back Dani Alves has left the club permanently at the expiry of his contract while Clement Lenglet and Moussa Wague have joined Tottenham and Gorica respectively on loan.
Barcelona have played just once so far in pre-season, drawing 1-1 with fifth-tier side Olot last week in a game where Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang opened the scoring in the first half of the tie.
Xavi’s side are next in action in the early hours of Wednesday morning for a friendly against Inter Miami, the Major League Soccer side co-owned by ex-England captain David Beckham and managed by former Manchester United defender Phil Neville.
Barca's other friendlies this summer come against Real Madrid, Juventus, New York Red Bulls and Club Universidad Nacional before they kick-off their La Liga campaign against Rayo Vallecano on August 13.
