Barcelona Transfer News: Latest Rumours on Julian Weigl Before January Window

Barcelona will reportedly face stiff competition from Manchester City as they attempt to sign Borussia Dortmund midfielder Julian Weigl.

According to AS (via The Sun's Andrew Richardson), the 21-year-old Weigl is set to be Barca's No. 1 target in the summer, as they see him as an ideal long-term replacement for 28-year-old Sergio Busquets.

However, City manager and former Barca boss Pep Guardiola is reportedly "in love" with the Germany international and will also make him a key target in the summer, per Richardson's report.

It is little surprise that Weigl is attracting interest from some of Europe's top clubs, as he is enjoying another excellent season with BVB. Able to dictate play brilliantly from the centre of the park, he boasts the type of metronomic passing range highly valued at the Camp Nou, per Squawka:

Both Barca and City will have to be prepared to offer big money if they are to snap the youngster up, though.

Weigl signed a contract extension with Dortmund only last week and is tied to the Bundesliga club until 2021, and his comments upon penning the new deal suggested he is happy at the Westfalenstadion, per the club's website (via Bundesliga).

"I feel I’m in very good hands here in Dortmund, in a sporting and in a personal sense," he said. "This was a logical decision for me, and I didn’t have to think it over for long before I decided to extend my contract."

However, Thomas Tuchel's side are not enjoying the best of seasons and sit sixth in the German top flight.

If Dortmund fail to move up the standings in the second half of the campaign and finish 2016-17 outside the UEFA Champions League spots, they may risk losing Weigl.

Barca could afford to pay big money for him and can offer the German a shot at La Liga and Champions League glory, which may be too good for him to turn down.