Barcelona Transfer News: Latest on Neymar and Andriy Yarmolenko Rumours

Barcelona continue to work on a new contract for star forward Neymar, while technical secretary Robert Fernandez has told reporters of his admiration of Nolito and Andriy Yarmolenko. 

Sofiane Feghouli is also rumoured to be on the Catalans' watch-list as a possible replacement for Pedro, who left for Chelsea this summer.

According to Mundo Deportivo (h/t Sky Sports), the Catalans are working on a number of contract renewals, with announcements of Rafinha's and Adriano's new deals expected to arrive soon. In Neymar's case, it could take a little longer, but he too is expected to commit his future to the Blaugrana.

Toward the end of the summer transfer window, reports started to surface that Manchester United were interested in acquiring the player, with the Guardian's Jamie Jackson going so far as to suggest the Brazil international was using their perceived interest to help his contract negotiations.

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Whether that was true or not, the speculation made it clear to the Blaugrana that there are other clubs out there with deep pockets and a need for a star forward like Neymar. And with the Premier League's new TV deal set to kick in next summer, those pockets will only grow deeper.

Locking the 23-year-old up to a long-term deal before then is a safe strategy, even if an actual transfer still seems highly unlikely. Given Barcelona's current dominance and the ridiculous amount of attacking talent in the squad, it's hard to see why anyone who is a regular starter would want to leave the club right now.

Pedro did leave the club during the summer, and the hunt for a replacement seems to continue despite the fact the transfer window has closed. As reported by Football Espana, technical secretary Fernandez dropped a new hint on Monday, acknowledging his team has looked at both Nolito and Yarmolenko.

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Speaking to Esport3, he said: “It's true that we're evaluating a number of players. [Nolito] is a player that both the coach and I know very well, but it's not an easy situation, He's a market opportunity, so we'll see if we can [sign him] or not. [On Andriy Yarmolenko], he's a good player but we haven't negotiated for him.”

The 28-year-old Nolito was already a member of the Blaugrana between 2008 and 2011 and has flourished since moving to Celta Vigo in 2013. Fans know what to expect from the tricky winger, who would be a solid depth signing but may not excite the fanbase all that much.

On the other hand, Ukraine international Yarmolenko is a bit of an unknown but may have the talent to offer something completely new at the Camp Nou. The Dynamo Kiev forward has the body of a traditional striker but remarkable pace and short-area quickness, which is why he usually splits out wide.

La Liga blogger Sergi Dominguez is impressed:

He goes on to describe the 25-year-old as not a “necessary signing,” but if your front three consists of Neymar, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, you're no longer looking at what's really necessary.

Like Pedro, Yarmolenko is a fast, agile winger who can do wonders on the counter and scores at a rapid rate for a wide man. According to WhoScored.com, he averaged an assist or goal in every game during last year's Europa League; for a winger, that's an excellent return.

He wouldn't be a starter at the Camp Nou, but the Catalans aren't looking for a starter. What he would do is add depth and experience to the group, giving manager Luis Enrique another option to use over talented but inconsistent youngsters Sandro Ramirez and Munir El Haddadi.

Fichajes (h/t Sport) add another name to the list in Feghouli, the Valencia wide man who turned heads playing for Algeria at the 2014 World Cup and will be a free agent at the end of the season.

Like Nolito or Yarmolenko, he would present a more experienced and proven option out wide, giving Sandro and Munir more time to develop and reach their potential at their own pace.

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