Barcelona is reportedly on the verge of acquiring midfielder Oriol Romeu from Girona, shortly after signing free agent Ilkay Gundogan from Manchester City.
Romeu rejoined Girona last season after spending seven years playing for Southampton in the Premier League.
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, an agreement has been reached between Barcelona and Girona, with Pablo Torre set to move in the opposite direction on a season-long loan.
With over 200 appearances in the Premier League, Romeu brings a wealth of experience to the reigning La Liga champions.
Barcelona, facing financial constraints, sees him as a cost-effective option to fill the void left by club legend Sergio Busquets, who departed at the end of last season.
Moreover, it will be a homecoming for Romeu, who came through the club’s famed La Masia Academy.
The 31-year-old also briefly played for Chelsea but failed to nail down a spot in the team, per Transfermarkt.
Barcelona midfield options
With the signing of Romeu, Barcelona now have some depth in the middle of the park, but they may need to add one or two in case of injury.
For now, Romeu will have to compete for a midfield spot with Gundogan, Frenkie De Jong, Gavi, Pedri and Frank Kessie. The summer transfer window is far from over, and the Spanish giants may have a completely different set of midfielders by the time the season gets underway.
Xavi’s side have also signed Inigo Martinez and Brazilian youngster Vitor Roque.