Barcelona Transfer News: Latest on Nolito and Alex Song Rumours

Celta Vigo star Nolito has sent a clear message to Barcelona to sign him after admitting he wants to rejoin his former club. 

The regular La Liga goalscorer said to Radio Marca (h/t Goal.com) he would be happy to sit on the Camp Nou bench if it meant he could once again be part of the Blaugrana squad:

"

Celta are in charge. There's a release clause and if Barca really want me, they will have to speak to my club. Playing there [regularly at Barca] would be difficult, but even if you play less, playing for Barcelona gives you lots of things. Celta is my home, but if I go to Barca, it'll be because I think it's best.

If it were about money, I wouldn't be here anymore. I've had offers to earn more, but Barca are the champions of La Liga and the Champions League.

"

MIGUEL RIOPA/Getty Images

After the recent exit of long servant Pedro, Barca are on the look out for a versatile forward who can deputise for Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez—and Nolito has proved he has no trouble finding the net at domestic level.

The player's creativity would certainly fit Barca's traditional style, with Opta highlighting Nolito's ability: 

However, Celta coach Eduardo Berizzo has spoken out about the prospect of losing the player and believes he will shun the attention of his former employers: 

"

Berizzo (coach Celta): "I feel that Nolito will stay. The Barça option is very appealing, but I'm confident he'll stay with us." #fcblive

— barcastuff (@barcastuff) August 13, 2015"

The 28-year-old initially left the Camp Nou after accepting an offer from Benfica in 2011. Nolito had varying success with the Eagles and found himself back in Spain two years later, on loan with Granada.

Current Barcelona boss Luis Enrique signed the forward for Celta Vigo in 2013, and the forward has been a raging success since his transfer. Nolito has found the back of the net 27 times in the past two La Liga seasons, per WhoScored.com, also providing 15 assists for his Celta team-mates. 

Enrique clearly admires the player—having personally signed him in recent times—and Nolito's familiarity with Barcelona will be a huge advantage if he is added to the squad. 

Blogger Yousef Teclab speculated Celta might be readying themselves to lose their current star after they sounded out potential attacking options:

"

So Celta Vigo made a move for Gervinho but knocked back. Could it be Berizzo preparing for life without Nolito who's linked with Barcelona?

— Yousef Teclab (@yousef738) August 19, 2015"

Nolito would be the perfect addition for Enrique, and the player's admission that he would sit on the bench will be music to the Barcelona coach's ears.

Alex Song to Leave Permanently

Former Arsenal recruit Alex Song is on his way out of Barcelona—but his apparent destination is yet to be decided.

It had been expected the midfielder would join loan club West Ham United on a permanent deal—but Sky Sports (h/t Joe Short of Metro) report Tottenham Hotspur and Everton have moved at the 11th hour.

Scott Heppell/Associated Press

Hammers owner David Sullivan has said he is ready to "gamble" on the player's fitness—with Song currently on the sidelines and unable to complete his medical. Speaking to West Ham blog Knees Up Mother Brown, per Short, Sullivan explained:

"

We have a deal in place with Alex Song, subject to a medical, and, if the medical is okay, we'll take him. He's a player we all admire and we just hope that the medical shows he's in a sufficient state for us to gamble. He couldn't physically pass a medical tomorrow, but if the medics say it's just a technical thing and he's only a couple of weeks away you'd take that gamble and hope they're right. 

He's still got two years left on his Barcelona contract and you're signing a player on a three-year contract, so it's a huge commitment. He's a big earner, Alex. He's injured at the moment, which is something you've got to weight up. But we've got until September 1 to make a decision.

"

Song was a huge success at Upton Park last season, with the club qualifying for the Europa League via the Fair Play table.

The 27-year-old still has much to offer, and the Premier League is a competition that brings the best out of the experienced Cameroonian.

There is no concrete offer for Nolito from Barcelona at present, but with Celta looking at targets and Enrique's desperation for a quality reserve, a transfer is certainly possible

Nolito will have watched Barca's incredible success over the past year and would surely have dreamed to be a part of it—as he hinted to Radio Marca—but Berizzo will not want to lose his most potent attacker.