Copa Del Ray: Athletic Club knocks Barcelona out to reach semis
It was another disappointment for Barcelona, as the club was expecting to go to the Copa del Rey semifinals for the second straight season.
Barcelona have set their eyes on Lautaro Martinez and Erling Braut Haaland as their main target before next season in their bid to find a successor to Luis Suarez.
The latest development comes at a time when rumours are beefing up that the Uruguayan international could leave Camp Nou next year. His contract with Barcelona, though, still has 18 months to go.
However, at 32, Suarez is edging towards the twilight of his career and, according to reports on Goal.com, the Catalan giants are in a mood to find a long-term solution.
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Haaland, meanwhile, is the latest sensation of transfer rumours this season with giants like Manchester United also putting their weights to rope him in.
The 19-year-old has scored a total of 24 goals in 18 games so far, including seven in Champions League, for Red Bull Salzburg.
Martinez, on the other hand, has emerged as one of the most lethal finishers in Serie A with Inter Milan and a chance to play beside his idol Lionel Messi at Barcelona could well be his dream-come-true moment.
Currently, playing alongside Rumelu Lukaku, Martinez has already scored five goals in 12 league games and three more in four Champions League outings.
Earlier, Barcelona director of football Eric Abidal had confirmed the club’s interest on the 22-year-old Argentine.
“He is a complete player, I think he is performing at a great level. I know Barca, I know what adaptation is like, but I don’t pay much attention to the player who plays every weekend, I look at others,” Abidal was quoted as saying to Mundo Deportivo.
Hinting at a possible departure for Suarez, Abidal said that he had already expressed the club’s desire to sign another forward to the Uruguayan.
“Last year I already told him that it was going to be like that, that we were going to look for an offensive player and I don’t say he did not accept it, he accepted it because he wants the best for the team,” he added.
Reportedly, the Blaugrana are keen to invest around £170 million for Martinez and another £100 million for Haaland despite his shortage of experience in big stages.
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