Last Word on Football’s Football Transfer News looks at the latest transfer rumours from around world football. In today’s edition, Barcelona move for Junior Firpo and Napoli continue to go big game hunting.
European Transfer Rumours
Barcelona Finally In For Firpo
Real Betis left-back Junior Firpo has been on Barcelona’s radar since his stellar performance for Betis last October. The Dominican born Spanish youth international starred in Betis 4-2 win at the Camp Nou last season. His buccaneering runs and excellent close control has had Barcelona fans around the world hoping for his arrival.
It was initially believed that Betis’s asking price of €30 million was too high for Barca. But as Catalan journalist Jordi Gil wrote in SPORT today, Barcelona believes Betis can be talked down from that price. Especially now that they have completed the signing of Alfonso Pedraza from Villareal.
Barcelona wants to bring Firpo in to deputise Jordi Alba. The Spanish left-back started last season on fire but wore down as the season went on. The 30-year-old lacked a viable deputy and his form declined throughout the season because of it. Barcelona is not going to make that same mistake again.
Napoli Transfer Rumours
It has been a busy summer for Carlo Ancelotti and Napoli. They already added Kostas Manolas and have since flirted with James Rodriguez and Mauro Icardi. However, with each passing day, those deals get less and less likely so, in turn, Napoli have begun to look elsewhere for another attacking option.
Gianluca DiMarzio has reported that Napoli are in negotiations for Nicolas Pepe. His representation has already been spotted in Dimaro and is set to meet with the Napoli brass sometime today. But here is where the deal gets tricky.
His current club, where he starred last season, Lille want around €75 million for Pepe. It is a price far to steep for Napoli to reach. But according to DiMarzio Lille would be willing to take back Napoli winger Adam Ounas in the deal. That could make things work, and Napoli is going to need this deal if they want to make a serious push for the Scudetto.
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