Barcelona Transfer News: Analyzing Buzz on Carlo Ancelotti, Alex Song and More

Even though the Champions League final is a little over two weeks away, Barcelona are finding no respite from the constant swirl of transfer rumors.

The window will open before you know it, and right now is about the time that buzz starts seriously building.

Barca are regularly right in the thick of things during the summer months, but unless FIFA decide otherwise, they'll be forbidden from buying any players until next January.

Still, that transfer embargo hasn't quelled the continuing rumor mill swirling around the Catalan club.

Carlo Ancelotti

Massimo Pinca/Associated Press

Early in the season, it felt like Luis Enrique was on shaky ground. The club was off to a disappointing start by its incredibly high standards, and Enrique was getting heavy criticism for his constant rotating of the first team. In addition, a serious row between he and Lionel Messi was rumored in January.

However, he has since led Barcelona to a league title and a Champions League final berth. It would seem that his job is perfectly safe and that he has no reason to leave.

To the contrary, Ed Malyon of the Daily Mirror wrote that Enrique may indeed choose to walk away at season's end:

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With Xavi - a key peacemaker in his previously fraught relationship with Messi – going and (former sporting director Andoni) Zubizarreta gone, Luis Enrique is said to be feeling short of allies inside the Camp Nou. Equally, committing his future to the club would be construed as hitching himself to president (Josep Maria) Bartomeu – a move that may not be so politically expedient with elections coming up. Only after beating Bayern Munich in the semi-final of the Champions League did Luis Enrique finally let slip something about his future and even that posed more questions than it answered:

"At the end of the season it will be the moment to explain everything."

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"I believe and know that he is staying," said Bartomeu, per Marca. "He has a contract and I believe that is also evident that the project started a year ago is good for the club."

The club president added that he likely won't negotiate a potential extension with Enrique unless he's re-elected to his current role.

According to El Pais (via AS), Barcelona is already making contingency plans in the event Enrique decides to leave. The club brass is eying up Carlo Ancelotti as a possible replacement.

It's widely expected Ancelotti will be out at Real Madrid, with Rafael Benitez tabbed as Los Blancos' next manager, per La Gazzetta dello Sport, via AS' Alvaro de la Rosa.

In an interview with Barcelona-based radio station RAC 1, Bartomeu moved quickly to quash any rumors regarding Ancelotti and Barca, via Goal's Peter Hanson:

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We are very angry about the Carlo Ancelotti situation. I say to our members that this is not true and it seems they want to destabilise the club.

The club needs tranquillity because we have a cup final and a Champions League final. It seems someone wants to destabilise us. There is no list of coaches. Ariedo Braida and Carles Rexach are looking at players.

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On one hand, it would seem crazy that Barcelona would craft a managerial shortlist with Enrique still under contract. Even crazier is the idea that Ancelotti would occupy a spot on that list given he'd be moving straight from Real Madrid.

Then again, it's plausible that Barcelona are at least preparing for a future in which Enrique leaves this summer.

Generally, though, you don't see managers voluntarily exiting a club—retirements aside—after winning a league title, let alone a potential, league, domestic cup and continental cup treble. Bet on Enrique to stay right where he is.

Alex Song

Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images

Alex Song and Barcelona just looks like the kind of partnership that was doomed to fail from the start. The transfer was odd in 2012 and hasn't looked any smarter in the years since. His most notable act so far as a Barca player might be his La Liga trophy mishap in 2013.

The 27-year-old midfielder has spent the last year on loan at West Ham, and he may be nearing a permanent move away from the Camp Nou. Simon Jones of the Mail Online reported both Manchester City and Chelsea find Song attractive since he qualifies as a homegrown player in the Premier League.

A move to England would arguably be to Song's benefit. He appears comfortable in the league, something he didn't look in Spain. Meanwhile, Barcelona should do whatever they can to try to recoup the £15 million they spent on him.

Maybe Song could find a role at Barca under Enrique, but it seems unlikely.

Both Chelsea and Manchester City could use an experienced midfielder like Song to provide some depth as they attempt to compete on multiple fronts next season.

Pedro

David Ramos/Getty Images

It feels like transfer rumors have swirled around Pedro for the last three or four years. With each summer come seemingly more and more attackers to take his place at Barcelona.

Certainly, when Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez are all healthy, Pedro's chances of starting dwindle exponentially. Although the 27-year-old has appeared in 34 La Liga matches this year, his 14 starts are his lowest since WhoScored.com started tracking his stats.

Should Barcelona make Pedro available, he'll have no shortage of potential suitors. According to the Telegraph's Matt Law, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur could all be in the mix this summer, with the player possibly available for £7 million.

After Alexis Sanchez left last summer, any rumors regarding Pedro should be taken seriously. Barcelona didn't desperately need to offload the Chilean winger but did so anyway.

The club might want to strengthen its coffers by selling Pedro, while the Spanish winger might want to play for a club in which he can get more first-team appearances.

Zonal Marking's Michael Cox hopes that Pedro stays in Spain:

Barcelona undoubtedly boast a ton of talent with their top three attackers, but depth isn't exactly a strength. Beyond Messi and Pedro, they don't have another natural right winger, and things would get dicey if Messi or Neymar were to get injured and Pedro weren't there to sub in.

While it wouldn't be a surprise to see Pedro playing for another club next year, the Catalans likely know exactly how valuable he is to their squad.

His contract currently runs through 2016, so if Barcelona do want to sell him, this is the summer to do so.