Stanislav Lobotka has admitted his desire to join a club playing Champions League football in January, amid interest from Barcelona and Inter Milan.
As reported by Italian outlet Calciomercato, the likes of Barcelona, Inter Milan and PSG have been handed a major boost in pursuit of Stanislav Lobotka. The Celta Vigo midfielder has left the door open for a possible move in the January transfer window, iterating his wish to play for Champions League side in the process.
Lobotka has undergone a steady rise in stature since moving to La Liga in the summer of 2017. Joining Celta Vigo from Danish outfit Nordsjaelland, the Slovakian international took little time to establish himself as a key player for the Galician side, playing all but one game for them last season.
Lobotka’s status within the Celta Vigo first-team setup has remain unchanged in the early stages of this campaign as well, starting every single game so far. But, his future is under a cloud, with the likes of Barcelona, Inter Milan and PSG, among others, interested in signing him.
Barcelona have been heavily linked with a number of central midfielders, with Ernesto Valverde already turning his attention towards creating a core group of players that will serve the La Liga champions well in the long-term future. The acquisition of Clement Lenglet, Arthur and Malcom across different positions serves the same purpose.
With the same intent, another midfield reinforcement has been mooted for Barcelona, with the likes of Frenkie De Jong, Adrien Rabiot and Paul Pogba among those heavily linked. While the aforementioned players will provide a creative boost in the middle of the park, Lobotka would add steel to midfield, and perhaps be the long-term successor to Sergio Busquets.
And, Barcelona have now received a huge boost in pursuit of the Slovak, who has left the door open for a possible January exit from Celta Vigo to possibly join a club playing Champions League football.
“Yes, in the summer there were offers from different clubs, but I will play with Celta at least for half the season. Future? It is clear that all Celta players want to try an adventure in a bigger club in Europe. In football, everyone wants to play in the Champions League. Anyway, I’m happy here, I focus on doing well with Celta, then in January we’ll see what happens.”
With a €42 million release clause in his Celta Vigo contract, which still have nearly five years left on it, the player will be an economical option for Barcelona in the current state of the market. But, the Catalans will have to stave off stiff competition from the likes of Inter Milan, PSG and others in order to land him.
The potential presence of Champions League football in the second half of the season will certainly be a positive for Barcelona. It now remains to be seen if the La Liga champions do make a move for Lobotka in the January transfer window, and if they succeed in landing him.
