Barcelona to raid Arsenal for free transfer in repeat of Gundogan tactic

Stuart Telford

• 8 Sept 2023 21:27 BST
• 3 min read

Barcelona have shortlisted Arsenal midfielder Jorginho and plan to sign him on a free transfer next summer as they did with Ilkay Gundogan from Manchester City this.

Barca were largely restricted to the free transfer and loan markets this summer against the backdrop of the ongoing financial dire straits that saw them lose Lionel Messi to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021.

Oriol Romeu returned to the club from Girona for €3.4 million, but his was the only move involving an initial transfer fee, with Gundogan and Inigo Martinez arriving on frees from City and Athletic Bilbao respectively. Joao Cancelo then came in on loan from City, as did Joao Felix from Atletico Madrid.

READ: Arsenal make 'ABSURD' demands in transfer talks over Euro 2020 winner

Although €40m has been committed to next January's signing of Brazilian prodigy Vito Roque from Atletico Paranaense, most of Barca's coming business will be under this summer's model.

Barca 'keen' on Jorginho

"The Catalan club are now keen on Jorginho as they look for a midfielder that can help control the tempo of the game and maintain possession," reports Cosmo Teare for The Sun.

"With Jorginho's contract expiring next summer, Barcelona will be able to approach the midfielder in January to sign a pre-contract at the club."

READ: Arsenal in danger of losing SEVEN players for FREE

Jorginho joined Arsenal from Chelsea for £12m in January, but he has fallen down the pecking order since Declan Rice's £105m arrival from West Ham, while Thomas Partey remains ahead of him among Mikel Arteta's stable of defensive midfielders.

Barca and Arsenal might even come to an agreement in January with Jorginho pushing for a move. The Brazil-born star was left out of Luciano Spalletti's first squad as Italy coach and needs regular first-team football ahead of next summer's Euros.

Jorginho is valued at €15m by FootballTransfers' in-house algorithm - a relatively small fee but one that may still be out of Barca's reach unless they can loan him or, as they did with Gundogan, wait six months and sign him for nothing.