Barcelona Transfer News: Andres Iniesta Reveals Retirement Plan, Latest Rumours

Barcelona’s legendary midfielder Andres Iniesta has outlined his desire to retire as a one-club man, despite previously revealing he was thinking about a possible move to Major League Soccer.

Speaking earlier this year, the World Cup winner had told reporters he may be tempted by a move to the United States once his Barcelona contract expires, per James Cambridge of the Daily Express.

However, speaking with Onda Cero radio station via AS (h/t Football Espana), the playmaker insisted he’s happy at the Camp Nou and wants a lot more success with the Catalan giants.

“I’m delighted as I am,” stated the 31-year-old. “My hope and my dream is to retire at Barca. Hopefully in the remaining years of my career I can keep playing and winning trophies, because it’s essential to move forward. That’s my dream.”

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There are signs that Iniesta will be capable of continuing to make an impact as he reaches the twilight of his career. While some players fade fast as their dynamism peters out, the intangible qualities the Spain international possesses—including speed of thought, football intelligence and tactical application—are still shining through.

As we can see here, courtesy of WhoScored.com, the Barcelona man is still a player who makes a major impact at the highest level, too:

Blaugrana fans would be loath to lose a footballer of such grace and with such synonymity with the club. After the departure of players like Xavi, Carles Puyol, Pedro and Victor Valdes, it’s important Barca preserve a core of stars who are intertwined with the team’s bespoke principles, especially with few standout academy products coming through at the moment.

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For the likes of Xavi, Pedro and Valdes, lucrative offers have teased them away from Barcelona in the twilight of their career. But at 31, Iniesta still has a lot to offer, and despite his remarkable success with the Blaugrana so far, evidently he still has a hunger for more titles with his boyhood club.

Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang Unlikely to Move

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German football expert Raphael Honigstein is doubtful that rumoured Barcelona target Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will be leaving Borussia Dortmund any time soon, unless a European juggernaut does make a move.

“Aubameyang doesn’t have a release clause and seeing out his contract will take him till 2020,” revealed Honigstein on Radio 5 Live Sport, per BBC. “I don’t think there’s a realistic chance that he is going to go unless one of his dream clubs come in for him.”

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According to talkSPORT, Barcelona have sent scouts to run the rule over the Gabon international previously. Having been moved into a central position for the majority of 2015, Aubameyang has excelled for Dortmund, using his devastating speed and composed finishing to help the Westfalenstadion side stay intact with a rampant Bayern Munich side atop of the Bundesliga.

As OptaFranz points out here, his beginning to the 2015-16 season has been remarkable and almost unprecedented:

Although Aubameyang is excelling at Dortmund, you suspect Barcelona would be one of the “dream clubs” Honigstein refers to. The Camp Nou side command a gravitas unlike any other, plus, given his dynamic playing style, goalscoring instincts and versatility in advanced positions, there’s no doubt the Dortmund man would be a shrewd capture for the European champions.

His development in the Bundesliga has been brilliant as of late, though, and for a team with attacking talent like Barcelona, a prolonged run like the one he’s getting now would not be guaranteed.

For the time being, Dortmund is the best club for Aubameyang to continue his rapid rise and entrench his reputation as one of the game’s most dangerous strikers.