Barcelona Transfer News and Rumours Tracker: Week of July 8

We end this week with the news that Thiago Alcantara has finally agreed a deal to join Pep Guardiola at Bayern Munich.

LAST UPDATE: SUNDAY JULY 14

Thiago Alcantara

Late Sunday, Barcelona announced that they had finally sold Thiago Alcantara to German champions Bayern Munich in a deal worth £21.6m .

In a blow to the David Moyes revolution at Manchester United, Barcelona released a statement (per Metro) which said:

"

FC Barcelona and FC Bayern Munich have reached an agreement over the transfer of the player Thiago Alcantara to the German club for a total of 25 million (euros).

This agreement also includes holding a friendly match between the two teams, which will be played in the next four years.

"

Rafinha Alcantara

Another day and another loan departure, the news of which Graham Hunter broke via his Twitter feed.

This time, Thiago Alcantara's younger brother Rafinha has swapped Barca B and the Liga Adelante for Celta Vigo and La Liga.

Having recently renewed his contract at Barcelona, the loan move sees Rafina team up with former Barca star Luis Enrique in a deal that is likely to benefit all parties.

Thiago Alcantara

Rafinha's brother Thiago Alcantara could well have dealt a hammer blow to Manchester United.

A deal was believed to have been agreed with the Premier League champions, but Martin Lipton of the Daily Mirror is reporting that Alcantara may have had his head turned by new Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola.

Although a deal is yet to be confirmed, Guardiola was unequivocal in his praise of the player in a news conference on Thursday:

"

We want Thiago. I have asked the club to get him and if we do not get him, then we will not get anybody else.

I know him very well. I talked to Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Matthias Sammer about him. We will wait and then see.

We have many players but we the need the special quality that Thiago Alcantara brings.

I know Thiago is smart and mentally very strong. He is a super-super player. He can play in four or five positions as well.

This season we will play in six competitions, including the UEFA SuperCup and the FIFA Club World Cup and I need all my players.

'We need the specific qualities of Thiago for the team and I believe will be good for us.

In normal circumstances, he would never leave Barcelona but wants to play and now with Neymar arriving there it will be harder still for him.

''That has given us an opportunity to sign him, and that's what I have said to the club.

"

Thiago Silva

Thiago Silva and his agent have been forced to provide a statement denying that there is a deal for the player to join Barcelona, in the face of unsubstantiated rumours in the media.

Try as they might, it seems Barcelona's continued pursuit of the player could prove fruitless but that hasn't stopped Tito Vilanova insisting that the Barcelona hierarchy bring him his man.

Vilanova may need to reconsider the position when he reads the statement of the player:

"

Thiago Silva and his agent Paulo Tonietto deny any agreement regarding a transfer to Barcelona, as had been published by Spanish newspaper Sport.

Besides, we reaffirm that no meeting or agreement with the Catalan club took place, and that the player is under contract with PSG.

"

Gerard Deulofeu

This was expected to be a busy week for transfers at Barcelona—and we certainly haven't been disappointed.

Following hot on the heels of the departures of David Villa to Atletico Madrid" href="http://bleacherreport.com/atletico-madrid" target="_blank">Atletico Madrid and the loan move to Ajax" href="http://bleacherreport.com/ajax" target="_blank">Ajax for Bojan Krkic, Gerard Deulofeu has now put pen to paper on a one year loan deal atEverton" href="http://bleacherreport.com/everton" target="_blank"> Everton.

The move away from Camp Nou was expected given that the player has outgrown the Liga Adelante where he has played for Barca B, yet is not quite at the level yet for the Barca first team.

The youngster will join a flurry of other new signings as new Everton boss Roberto Martinez looks to build a squad in his own image.

Sergio Ageuro

Manchester City" href="http://bleacherreport.com/manchester-city" target="_blank">Manchester City's Sergio Aguero is the latest name in the frame to bolster Barcelona's attack.

With David Villa having sealed his move to Atletico Madrid" href="http://bleacherreport.com/atletico-madrid" target="_blank">Atletico Madrid after successfully passing a medical, Barca may now look to replace him with another, similar, striker.

According to Sport (h/t Daily Star), Aguero has told friends that he is excited at the thought of pairing up with countryman Lionel Messi.

A rumoured transfer fee of £25 million has been mentioned but it remains to be seen as to whether City are willing to do business.

Thiago Alcantara

Thiago Alcantara's move from Barcelona to Manchester United" href="http://bleacherreport.com/manchester-united" target="_blank">Manchester United was expected to be rubber-stamped this week.

With the £17 million fee agreed, it appeared to be a formality of putting pen to paper to seal the transfer.

However, as Jack Wilson of the Daily Star reports, the player has started pre-season training this week...with Barcelona.

Bayern Munich are hovering in the wings, ready to pounce should any deal with the EPL champions fall through.

For now, Alcantara remains a Barcelona player.

Thiago Silva

The relentless pursuit of Thiago Silva continues.

Barcelona have been tracking their top defensive target all summer and their patience may be beginning to pay off.

According to Sergi Font at Marca, Silva has told close friends that he wants to move to the Catalans.

This may be the news that Barcelona were waiting to hear to allow them to open negotiations with Paris St. Germain for Silva's transfer.

You can be assured that PSG owner Nasser Al-Khelaifi will do everything in his power to stop his captain from leaving, but the desire of the player may force the owners hand in the end.

David Villa

In a surprise twist it was announced later on Monday that David Villa has agreed in principle to join Barca's La Liga rivals Atletico Madrid" href="http://bleacherreport.com/atletico-madrid" target="_blank">Atletico Madrid, putting paid to any notion that he was bound for the Premier League.

The deal was agreed at lower than prices previously quoted. 

A maximum of €5.1 million will be paid and Barcelona are reserving the right to 50% of any sell on fee.

The deal is for one year with an option of a second and Atletico will pay €2.1 million now, another €2 million if Villa stays for the second season and should he then stay for one further season, then another €1 million will be payable.

Thiago Alcantara

According to Paul Brown of the Daily Star, Thiago Alcantara will be a Manchester United player by the end of this week.

There are just a few "small details" needing to be ironed out before Alcantara can put pen to paper for the EPL champions.

A five-year deal has been agreed and the transfer fee of around £17 million could rise to £20 million with certain add-ons.

A source close to negotiations is quoted as saying:

"

Only small details remain to be finalised, including the form of payment.

Thiago is very excited by the chance to play in the Premier League. He has always been a lover of English football.

"

Bojan Krkic

Bojan Krkic has already left Barcelona on another loan spell.

This time, Barca have reached a deal with Ajax and the player will spend the 2013/14 in Holland.

After neither AS Roma or AC Milan decided to take up their option on the player, and with Barcelona unable to offer Bojan a regular place in the first team, the move to Ajax suits all parties.

The 23-year-old will be hoping for an extended run in a side who will be playing in next season's Champions League after winning the Dutch title last season.

Ajax are managed by Frank de Boer and Krkic will no doubt hope to resurrect his stuttering career under the ex-Barca man.

Marquinhos

It would appear that Barcelona are beginning to divert their attentions away from top defensive target Thiago Silva.

Sky Sports Italia (h/t Football Italia) report that the Catalans have made an offer of €32 million to tempt AS Roma to part with 19-year-old sensation Marquinhos.

The young Brazilian had an outstanding first season in Serie A—so much so that the player's transfer value has risen from just €5 million in little over a year.

There are reports that Marquinhos' agent is in Spain to discuss terms with Barcelona and with Paris St Germain also rumoured to be interested it remains to be seen if the Italians can keep hold of their prized asset.

Wayne Rooney

The rumour that Wayne Rooney could be donning the Blaugrana next season will not go away.

However a straight cash deal is unlikely to be the way forward with Sport (h/t Daily Express) reporting that any move will hinge on a swap deal with Thiago Alcantara and potentially David Villa also heading to Old Trafford.

Manchester United value their forward at £25 million whilst Barca believe Thiago's value to be at around the £17 million mark. Add Villa at approximately £8 million, and we can see where the maths to that particular deal stack up.

It's a complicated set of circumstances, but Barcelona are working hard to conclude the deal and bring the England striker to Catalonia.

Thiago Silva

There is a chink of light opening up for Barcelona in their relentless pursuit of Thiago Silva.

According to Marca (h/t Football Espana), the player has told close friends that he wants to leave Paris Saint-Germain and join Barcelona.

This may finally convince Paris St Germain to sell a player that, perhaps, now sees his future elsewhere.

It may still be a deal fraught with complications given that PSG owner Nasser Al-Khelaifi has already been unequivocal in his standpoint that Silva will not be sold.

Clearly, the 28-year-old Brazilian captain will not come cheap either. Suggestions that Silva would leave for anything less than the amount paid by PSG to secure his signature are wide of the mark.

David Villa

If the reports in the Daily Mirror are accurate, then David Villa is on his way to White Hart Lane rather than Old Trafford.

Darren Lewis has noted that Villa has an "agreement in principle" with Tottenham Hotspur, and only the fee remains to be agreed before a deal can be concluded.

Barcelona are demanding £8.6 million for Spain's record goalscorer with Tottenham unwilling to match that figure at this stage of negotiation.

With Villa able to leave on a free transfer next season if he is not shipped out now, and with Barca needing to free up funds for incoming transfers, it is expected an agreement is just a formality.

The player could even leave as early as this week.