Marc Bartra transfer news: Barcelona defender set for exit as Manchester United, Liverpool and Spurs eye bargain
Bartra looks set to leave the Nou Camp this summer for as little as £9.3m
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Your support makes all the difference.Barcelona are willing to let defender Marc Bartra leave the club this season after accepting that he is surplus to requirements at the Nou Camp, with Premier League sides Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham all believed to be in the hunt for the Spaniard.
To make matters ever better for the Premier League trio, Barcelona are reported by Spanish Marca to be willing to accept just €12m [£9.3m] to let him leave in the summer. The 25-year-old is set to sign a contract extension with the current La Liga leaders, but while that would normally suggest a player is committing their future to a club, Bartra’s contract will contain the low-cost release fee that will enable interested parties to speak to him in the summer.
Bartra has made just 24 appearances this season – starting just four matches in La Liga – and has failed to dislodge either Gerard Pique or Javier Mascherano in Luis Enrique’s favoured starting XI. Frenchman Jeremy Mathieu was preferred to Bartra for the Champions League last-16 second-leg victory over Arsenal when Pique was suspended, and Enrique has shown a preference to start Mathieu ahead of Bartra throughout the season if he reshuffles his defence.
His lack of appearances has triggered a clause in his contract though that enables him to leave for a much lower fee than Barcelona will have wanted, much like the departure of Thiago Alcantara when the midfielder left for Bayeern Munich in 2013. Bartra’s failure to play in 60% of Barcelona’s matches this season means that the release clause will activate at the end of the season, and that has alerted the likes of United, Liverpool and Spurs who are already looking to strengthen for next season.
Barcelona could also look to accept an offer for Bartra on the condition that a buy-back clause is inserted into his contract, although the player himself has admitted he will delay any talks over his future until the end of the season.
Spurs would likely move for Bartra to provide cover for their current centre-back pairing of Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld, who have developed into the most reliable defensive pairing in the Premier League this season. Bartra can also play at right-back, although the attraction of playing regularly for either Liverpool or United could make the two clubs more appealing if they follow up initial interest in the Spain international.
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