Barcelona have allegedly identified Girona midfielder Oriol Romeu as a surprise summer transfer target.
Despite winning the La Liga title last season, the Catalan giants are again restricted in the market as they bid to replace outgoing players and strengthen their squad.
Xavi has been able to acquire the services of Inigo Martinez and Ilkay Gundogan on free transfers, with the latter going some way to replacing the long-serving Sergio Busquets.
However, speculation persists that Xavi is keen to secure the services of another central midfielder, even after missing out on the likes of Ruben Neves and Martin Zubimendi.
The perception has been that an array of sales, the majority being fringe members of the squad, would need to be facilitated or players released on free transfers to create space on the wage bill.
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Nevertheless, according to The Athletic, it appears that a suitable solution has been found in the form of Romeu.
Since initially making just two outings for Barcelona after coming through the academy setup, Romeu has represented a number of different clubs, starting with Chelsea.
Loan spells came at Valencia and Stuttgart before he found a home at Southampton, making 256 appearances for the English side over a seven-year spell.
Last summer, though, the 31-year-old returned to his homeland to join Girona, making an instant impression with 33 starts and helping to keep his new club in contention for European qualification until the closing weekend of the season.
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Ideally, Girona want to retain Romeu's services, but a release clause in the region of €4m (£3.4m) has left Barcelona lurking with intent with regards to a deal.
Xavi is said to have already held discussions with Romeu, who is reportedly keen to take up any opportunity to enjoy another stint at his boyhood club.
Romeu spent seven years at Barcelona in total, four of them coming in the youth ranks before regular action with Barcelona 'B' and his fleeting time in the senior team.
That said, the report adds that a number of club officials are against the move, with the indication being that they would prefer Xavi to turn to Nico Gonzalez over signing someone of Romeu's profile.
Darren Plant
