Barcelona are reportedly looking to strengthen the right flank of defence with a summer move for Bayern Munich defender Joshua Kimmich.
According to Spanish publication Don Balon, Barcelona are looking to spend the big bucks this summer again for another right-back, with reports that the hierarchy are left somewhat unsatisfied by the performances of Nelson Semedo. Bayern Munich defender Joshua Kimmich is a summer target, with the player reportedly priced at €50 million.
Barcelona’s decision to spend on Nelson Semedo has not yet paid dividends so far, with the player still unable to dethrone Sergi Roberto from the right side of defence. Ernesto Valverde had intended to use Roberto as a midfielder, but Semedo’s inability to step up has seen the Spaniard being deployed as a right-back in majority of the games.
Barcelona are now looking to strengthen the area once again this summer, with two targets in mind. According to the report, Joshua Kimmich and Alvaro Odriozola are the targets for the Catalans, with the club expecting a respective outlay of €50 million and €40 million.
While Odriozola would be closer to home and would not take too much time to adapt to life at Barcelona, Kimmich is the higher profile and a more established target. The Bayern Munich superstar is likely to slot into the lineup as a starter straight-away, something that is tough to say in Odriozola’s case.
Joshua Kimmich has grown into a superstar in true sense of the word. Predominantly a right-back, the player has excelled in any role he has been asked to do. This season though, the player has been deployed mostly as a right-back and his return from the said position is shockingly high.
Kimmich has 6 goals and 17 assists this season, but it is his big-game pedigree that has come to the fore, with his record of 4 goals and 3 assists in 11 appearances in the Champions League. A player who relishes the big games, Kimmich would be the perfect man to fill the role at right-back for Barcelona.
Joshua Kimmich has been directly involved in 7 goals in 11 #UCL games for Bayern this season (4 goals, 3 assists). ⚽️#UCL pic.twitter.com/JV3sV7zssq
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) May 1, 2018
The report iterates a €50 million fee, which is unlikely to be a barrier for Barcelona. What could be one though, is perhaps, Kimmich’s willingness or lack of to move from Bayern. The 23-year-old is a key player within the setup and Bayern themselves are unlikely to be open to the idea of letting him go.
However, with a new manager – Niko Kovac – incoming, we could see changes at Bayern and Kimmich could opt to join the project at Barcelona. Kimmich’s addition will be a bonus as Valverde could even use him on the right side of the midfield in a 4-4-2 whenever the need be.
The transfer will rely on Kimmich’s interest in the said move. And if the German international does give his nod, we are likely to see him in a different jersey after the World Cup.
