Barcelona could be saved by ASTON VILLA this summer

Stuart Telford

• Updated: 23 May 2023 08:37 CDT
• 3 min read

Barcelona director of football Mateu Alemany is set to join Aston Villa and raid his former club for players - something the Blaugrana desperately need.

Alemany has been Barca director under president Joan Laporta since March 2021, but his now set to join the growing Spanish contingent at Aston Villa, with Unai Emery having replaced Steven Gerrard as manager in October.

"Contracts are set to be signed for Mateu Alemany to become Aston Villa's new director. Full agreement in place, he has accepted all the clauses," transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano posted to Twitter.

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"Alemany, set to work together with Emery; already targeting and discussing of some potential names from La Liga & more."

Christensen, Ferran and Kessie shortlisted

Three of those names are Andreas Christensen, Ferran Torres and Franck Kessie according to reports in Spain, and it is understood Barca won't block any of them leaving - even if Christensen has been a cornerstone of La Liga's most miserly defence this season.

Barca need to raise €200 million if they are to take part in La Liga next season, whilst they are trying to fund Lionel Messi's return from Paris Saint-Germain.

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Christensen, Ferran and Kessie are respectively valued at €40.2m, €40m and €39.9 per FootballTransfers' in-house algorithm, and transfer fees that respect those numbers would go a long way to getting Barcelona out of trouble.

Barca already have Christensen's replacement lined up in Inigo Martinez, the left-foted centre-back set to arrive on a free transfer from Athletic Bilbao provided the club can register his contract with La Liga at that point.

With Messi nearing a return, Ferran will drop further down a pecking order of wingers which already includes Ousmane Dembele, Raphinha and Ansu Fati.

Kessie has hardly featured this season with Gavi, Pedri, Sergio Busquets and Frenkie de Jong in his way, and his sale would represent pure profit on Barca's balance sheet having been signed on a free transfer from AC Milan lasts summer.