Barcelona chief wants to sign €60m star, but rivals will demand €80m

Barcelona are keen to continue their transfer spree when the summer transfer window gets underway despite their ongoing financial problems. The Catalans were busy in January bringing in four players, and are expected to be busier once the ongoing campaign concludes.

The La Liga side's president Joan Laporta is keen to restore Barcelona as the best club in Spain after seeing their recent struggles. Barcelona are currently in fourth place, 15 points behind league leaders and arch rivals Real Madrid, and they are keen to ensure they close the gap this season, but also from next summer.

Xavi Hernandez is keen to strengthen his defence after signing three attacking players during the January transfer window, but the club will also focus on bringing in marquee players in the summer. Laporta, according to Spanish media outlet Sport , is a big fan of Nabil Fekir and is keen to bring him to the Camp Nou in the summer.

The French attacking midfielder has been a key player for Real Betis this season, as they chase a Champions League place and fight for titles in the Europa League and Copa del Rey. Fekir's latest exploits saw him score a brace in Betis' latest win over Levante on Sunday, taking his tally for the season to nine in 30 games in all competitions.

The Barcelona president remains a big fan of the France international, and is expected to be ready to pay up to €60 million to bring him to the Catalan capital club in the summer. However, Betis are not ready to allow him to leave for anything less than €80 million, which could prove difficult for the cash-strapped La Liga giants.

Moreover, Fekir recently agreed a new deal until the summer of 2026, which gives Betis all the power when it comes to negotiating with Barcelona. The club was keen to tie down a number of key stars and handed new deals to Canales, Borja Iglesias and Alex Moreno along with head coach Manuel Pellegrini.