Barcelona Transfer News: Latest Rumours on Darijo Srna and Marquinhos

Barcelona are reportedly going to try to snap up Shakhtar Donetsk veteran Darijo Srna on a free transfer in January.

According to AS' Moises Llorens, Barca want cover for Sergi Roberto after Aleix Vidal's failure to convince. But with little in the way of transfer funds to call upon, they are targeting Srna, whose contract expires at the end of the season.

The 34-year-old right-back has never plied his trade in one of Europe's top leagues, but he's as experienced as they come. He's made over 450 appearances for Shakhtar, including 136 outings in European competitions, and earned 134 caps for Croatia.

Srna is a capable defender but is perhaps more well known for his ability to make incisive contributions going forward.

He recently bagged a goal and an assist in Shakhtar's 2-1 win over Karpaty, per the Croatian Football Federation's official Twitter feed:

Indeed, during his time in Donetsk, he has accrued an incredible 114 assists and netted 45 goals.

He'd be a short-term solution for Barca, but as an experienced and cheap squad player, he's an ideal candidate for them to sign in January.

The only question is whether he'll go. The prospect of a new challenge at a club like Barcelona—and a high chance of new silverware—at this stage of his career is likely to be a tempting one indeed, but Srna is still a regular starter at the club he's played for since 2003.

As such, he may prefer to see out his time in Donetsk before moving on, rather than jumping ship in January to accept a role as a back-up, even for the Blaugrana.

IAN KINGTON/Getty Images

Meanwhile, Paris Saint-Germain boss Unai Emery has confirmed Barca made an approach for Marquinhos in the summer only to be rebuffed.

He told El Pais (h/t the MailOnline's Alex Bywater): "Barca asked in the summer, but he is thankful to PSG who gave him the opportunity to play in a big club. He might love to play for Barcelona, but he respects what PSG gave him. That said, he's a complete player."

Per ESPN FC's Jonathan Johnson, it has been reported elsewhere the Catalan giants remain interested in the Brazilian:

Here's a look at what he could bring to the Camp Nou:

The ball-playing centre-back has been starting more regularly since David Luiz's return to Chelsea, and the 22-year-old remains one of the best young defensive prospects in European football, thanks to his composure, intelligence and impressive technical skills.

Barca have Samuel Umtiti and Gerard Pique as a strong first-choice defensive pairing, while Javier Mascherano is accomplished there, too. But the latter is 32, and the likes of Jeremy Mathieu inspire little confidence as cover.

Marquinhos looks set to remain at the Parc des Princes until the summer at least, but a move to a higher-calibre league such as La Liga, Serie A or the Premier League could well be on the horizon.