Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi has ruled out leaving the club this summer, having been linked with Barcelona as a potential replacement for departing captain Sergio Busquets.
San Sebastian local Zubimendi has spent half his life at La Real, joining the club’s youth setup aged 12 in 2011. He progressed through the various age groups and has been a first-team regular since 2020.
Zubimendi has consistently played Europa League football in recent years and has earned plaudits for his role helping La Real challenge for a top four finish this season to return to the Champions League for the first time in almost a decade – they have a seven-point cushion on fifth place Villarreal with only five games left to play.
With Busquets’ impending exit from Camp Nou suspected for some time but finally confirmed this week, reports in Spain have already picked out Zubimendi as a like for like replacement.
But the 24-year-old, whose contract at Anoeta runs until 2027, doesn’t appear keen.
“I have never said anything about wanting to leave La Real,” he told Radio Marca Donostia.
“I do nothing but see news of that and it makes me feel uneasy. I have neither listened nor wanted to do anything. I do not know if I have been able to leave, but I have not even considered it. I have already said it several times, to say it more times it seems that they do not listen to me.”
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Barcelona transfer targets – summer 2023
Barcelona’s main transfer ambition for the summer is re-sign Lionel Messi, who is set to leave Paris Saint-Germain at the end of his contract next month.
Sources have previously confirmed to 90min that the club is ‘leaving no stone unturned’ in their efforts to strike a deal that will comply with La Liga financial regulations. In that regard, La Liga president Javier Tebas has already warned that Barcelona must ‘take many financial measures’.
Tebas said last month: “Today, I don't see his signing as feasible. But there’s a lot of time left, Barca can still make moves to get Leo. We are still awaiting a feasibility plan from Barcelona. They need a big effort to make it happen.”
Barcelona have been confident for some time, although there is rival interest from Saudi Arabia, for whom Messi is a tourism ambassador, and confidence from club Al Hilal that a deal will be struck.
In addition to Messi, the Catalans are keen on Manchester City captain Ilkay Gundogan and remain confident the German will join on a free transfer when his contract in England soon expires.
Another Manchester City player that Barcelona have had longstanding interest in is Bernardo Silva. That interest is reciprocated but, as 90min has reported, City will only sell if an offer meets what they deem to be the Portugal international’s market value - £75m (€86m).
Aymeric Laporte is a third City player on the radar in the Camp Nou offices but, again, finances are proving to be a hurdle, while they would enter the race to sign out of favour full-back Joao Cancelo if a transfer could be arranged as an initial loan.
Up front, Barcelona are targeting 18-year-old Athletico Paranaense prodigy Vitor Roque. However, the finances are set to be an issue and there could be rival interest from Arsenal and Chelsea, able to offer a more attractive permanent transfer rather than an initial loan.
Brighton’s Evan Ferguson and Celta Vigo’s Gabri Veiga are other young talents being watched.
This article was originally published on 90min as Barcelona target plays down talk of summer transfer.
