Barcelona make shock move for AC Milan defender
Carlo Garganese
- 27 Apr 2022 21:00 BST
- 3 min read
Barcelona have made a shock move to sign AC Milan defender Alessio Romagnoli on a free transfer, according to AS.
The Blaugrana have been busy at work in the Bosman transfer market this summer and have already booked the signings of Chelsea defender Andreas Christiansen and AC Milan midfielder Franck Kessie.
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However, AS claims that Barca have begun negotiations to sign another Milan player on a free transfer.
Centre-back Romagnoli sees his deal expire at the end of the season and both he and his club have agreed that they will not continue their relationship together.
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Romagnoli is also in talks with the club he supported as a child, Lazio, and it has been widely reported in the Italian media that this will be his next club.
But Barcelona are looking to revolutionise their defence and it is accepted that Christiansen won’t be the only defensive arrival.
Barcelona have been interested in Romagnoli in the past, and his agent Mino Raiola has a good relationship with Barca president Joan Laporta.
But any potential deal would come as a surprise as Romagnoli has not shown himself to be at Barcelona’s level.
The 27-year-old was highly-rated as a youngster but never quite fulfilled his early promise and he lost his starting role at Milan to Fikayo Tomori a year ago.
He is currently Milan’s fourth-choice centre back, having also been overtaken in the pecking order in recent weeks by youngsters Pierre Kalulu.
Romagnoli signed for Milan from Roma for €25 million and has gone on to make 246 appearances for the club, scoring 10 goals.
A left-sided centre back, Romagnoli is physical and excellent in the air, and also distributes the ball well. He is, however, a little bit on the slow side and can struggle in a high line.
Romagnoli has been capped 12 times by Italy, scoring twice.
