Barcelona Transfer News and Rumours Tracker: Week of March 31
Barcelona find themselves right back in the title hunt after three wins in a week.
From being completely down and out, Tata Martino has masterminded a mini-revival and optimism again surrounds the Catalan club.
Players were being linked with the club, but in an astonishing twist on Wednesday morning, governing body FIFA have banned the club from any transfer activity.
It comes in the wake of the club breaking the rules on signing international players under the age of 18.
—Last update: Wednesday April 2—
FIFA Hand Barcelona Transfer Ban!
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In the wake of Barcelona's quarter-final draw with Atletico Madrid comes the astonishing news that the Catalans have been banned from any transfer activity for the next 14 months, per BBC Sport.
It will come as a bitter blow to the club who were known to be keen to strengthen in a number of areas over the summer period.
The report states:
"Spanish champions Barcelona have been given a 14-month transfer ban by Fifa for breaking rules on signing international players under 18.
The Catalan club cannot buy or sell players until the summer of 2015 after the world governing body imposed a transfer ban for the next two windows.
They have also been fined 450,000 Swiss Francs (£305,000).
Fifa has also sanctioned the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) for the same breaches.
The RFEF has been given a fine of 500,000 Swiss Francs (£340,000) and told to "regularise [its] regulatory framework and existing system concerning the international transfer of minors in football" within a year.
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Dani Alves
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Barcelona right-back Dani Alves could be on the way to the Premier League.
According to The Sun via Chris Richards of the Daily Mirror, Manchester City are hoping to secure Alves for a cut-price £15 million summer swoop.
Although Alves has a £30 million buyout clause, Barca are keen to secure funds for their stadium rebuilding project.
At 30-years-old, Barca might now decide this summer is the time to cash in.
Javier Mascherano
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Javier Mascherano looks like he will be making the move to Napoli in the summer.
According to Miguel Angel Lara of Marca, both the Italian club and Barcelona have already discussed the possibility of Mascherano's sale, and the player himself is keen on the move.
It would allow the Argentine to link up with old Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez, and means that he would've played in the top three leagues in Europe in La Liga, English Premier League and Serie A.
Ilkay Gundogan
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One of the most sought after midfielders in European football, Borussia Dortmund's Ilkay Gundogan has been nursing a back complaint since August, but he is now on the mend.
It appears that Barcelona have risen to the head of the queue for his signature.
According to Ben Jefferson of the Daily Express, Barca's club doctor, Richard Pruna, was not at the hospital when Victor Valdes injured his cruciate ligament because he was in Germany speaking with Gundogan.
This has raised the possibility that the player will make Camp Nou his next destination rather than Old Trafford, with Manchester United's David Moyes also known to be keen.
Mateo Musacchio
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With Carles Puyol hanging up his Blaugrana boots at the end of the season, securing a high-quality central defender is an absolute priority for Barcelona.
According to Football Espana, Villarreal's Mateo Musacchio is the player whom sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta has his eye on.
Available for around the €18 million mark, the player is just the sort of defender to replace Puyol.
However Barca will face competition for his signature with Fiorentina also said to be interested, per Sportmediaset (via Football Espana), in taking the player to Serie A.
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