Barcelona make Deadline Day offer for Elanga

Robin Bairner

• Updated: 31 Jan 2023 11:28 GMT
• 3 min read

Barcelona are ready to make a Deadline Day offer to Manchester United for Anthony Elanga.

According to ESPN, Barcelona are exploring a loan move for the Sweden international attacker.

Elanga has dropped down the pecking order under manager Erik ten Hag this season after being a shining light in the second half of last term, and reportedly wants a loan to get more game time.

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Offers have not been thin on the ground for the 20-year-old, who has an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €20 million. According to Fabrizio Romano, as many as 10 teams were interested in signing him in the second half of the season.

Among the clubs who wanted the winger were Everton, who appeared favourites to land him for a long while. Borussia Dortmund and PSV have also been linked with moves for them.

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Will Elanga to Barcelona happen?

Barcelona are still thrashing out their strategy in the closing hours of the transfer market, ESPN reports, and there is no guarantee that they will move for Elanga.

The Catalan club are set to free up wages with Hector Bellerin going to Sporting CP, and that will provide them leeway to potentially make a loan signing.

Los Angeles Galaxy’s Julian Araujo has been targeted as a Bellerin replacement, with the idea that he could be registered for the ‘B’ team in a bid to work around salary restrictions.

Meanwhile, there is an internal debate at the club as to the position they should target for the first team squad. Do they move for a defensive midfielder, with a move for Fiorentina's Sofyan Amrabat already having been turned down, or an inside forward to replace the injured Ousmane Dembele?

If they opt to target the latter, Elanga would come into the picture, although Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag has been eager that his squad depth is not further depleted.