Unai Emery admits he would like to make a signing in January, but concedes Denis Suarez from Barcelona will not be easy.
Barcelona are pushing to bring Toulouse defender Jean-Clair Todibo to the club before the transfer window shuts, sources have confirmed to ESPN FC.
Barca confirmed earlier in January that they had reached an agreement for Todibo to join them in the summer when his contract with Toulouse expires.
However, with the centre-back frozen out at the French club since November, they remain keen to force through a deal this month.
Todibo, 19, has not played for Toulouse’s first team since Nov. 3. The Ligue 1 side took the decision to send him back to the reserve team following his refusal to sign his first professional contract.
Toulouse president Olivier Sadran has been openly critical of Barca’s move for Todibo, calling them “arrogant” and saying they did not act like a big club.
Sadran’s comments suggest he will not negotiate Todibo’s early release with the Catalans but sources close to the deal have told ESPN FC they hope he may relent as the end of the transfer window nears.
Barca will only have to pay development rights for Todibo in the summer, but they are prepared to pay a bigger fee to sign him now. They are also willing to negotiate a percentage of any future sale and have also suggested the possibility of a friendly match between the two sides.
“It would be better for both sides and for the boy to [go to Barcelona] immediately,” the source said. “It [would be better for] Toulouse instead of receiving nothing.”
Initially, Barca had hoped to bring Todibo in now and loan him to another La Liga club. It’s not clear if they would still have time to do that, but they feel it’s better to sign him now than to leave him in a non-competitive environment for the next six months.
Ernesto Valverde has five centre-backs in the first team (Gerard Pique, Samuel Umtiti, Clement Lenglet, Thomas Vermaelen and Jeison Murillo) but even playing for the B team would be a better option for Todibo at this point.
Other than that, Barca believe their business in the January window is done. Murillo and Kevin Prince Boateng have come in on short-term deals, while Munir El Haddadi has left and Denis Suarez is set for Arsenal. The club also confirmed the signing of Ajax midfielder Frenkie de Jong for the summer earlier this month.
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