Barcelona Transfer News: Latest Rumours, Major Names Linked to Blaugrana

Barcelona have reportedly made Paris Saint-Germain defender Marquinhos a top target for the summer transfer window, and they have even held preliminary talks with the player's agent.

Goal's Bruno Andrade & Loic Tanzi have reported that representatives from Barca recently met with Marquinhos' people, including the Brazilian's brother:

"The intermediary Giuliano Bertolucci and Luan Aoas, Marquinhos' brother, met with Barca representatives and set out the 21-year-old's salary demands of €4.5 million (£3.5 million) a year plus a €3 million (£2.3 million) signing-on fee."

Barca are "willing to pay up to €50 million (£39 million) to bring him to [the] Camp Nou," per the same report.

Andrade and Tanzi also stated that while PSG will be reluctant to sell, Marquinhos may have his own motivation for pushing for a move: "There is a feeling at the club, however, that the former Roma starlet will consider a move if he continues to play second fiddle to Thiago Silva and David Luiz."

Matt Dunham/Associated Press

The presence of former Chelsea man David Luiz alongside defensive talisman Thiago Silva has made it difficult for Marquinhos to feature much at his preferred centre-back position. Instead, the gifted 21-year-old has seen time at right-back, a role he played well during PSG's recent 2-1 UEFA Champions League win over the Stamford Bridge club.

But this precocious stopper really belongs in the middle, where his electric pace and keen anticipation can exert greater influence on games.

As an ultra-athletic central defender with the skill and technique on the ball to play out from the back, Marquinhos is ideal for Barca's brand of football. He represents an ideal successor to 31-year-old Javier Mascherano.

But Marquinhos is far from the only young central defender on the Barcelona radar ahead of the summer. Andrade and Tanzi insisted the Catalan club wants to acquire two marquee defenders, including Marquinhos:

"Their shortlist includes Alessio Romagnoli of AC Milan, Valencia's Aymen Abdennour, Aymeric Laporte of Athletic Bilbao and Shakhtar Donetsk centre-back Yaroslav Rakitskiy."

Adding any one from that list, along with beating Real Madrid and Chelsea to Marquinhos, would represent a real coup for Barca ahead of next season.

With Gerard Pique 29, Jeremy Mathieu 32 and Thomas Vermaelen always an injury concern, Barcelona manager Luis Enrique needs to refresh his options at the back with youthful and versatile talents.

Marquinhos and the latest targets fit the bill perfectly.

Sergi Samper Wants Camp Nou Stay

While Barcelona need to get younger in defence, the club reportedly doesn't have to worry about one of its precocious midfield talents jumping ship this summer. Didac Peyret of Spanish publication Sport has reported how 21-year-old playmaker Sergi Samper is keen to remain at the Camp Nou.

It is claimed that the Barcelona B star would prefer to stay and fight for a place among the seniors, rather than pursue a move elsewhere:

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The player has told his agents and representatives to exhaust the options for him to play in the first team, ahead of looking for other moves.

The player knows there are offers for him in England but would prefer to stay at Barcelona if he can. The club have communicated their intention of extending his contract, which expires in 2017.

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A deep-lying midfielder, Samper has taken his time to make his mark. Links to Premier League side Arsenal have been fairly consistent, with Spanish source Mundo Deportivo (h/t Joe Short of the Daily Express) suggesting back in late-December that a bid of £4.4 million was all it would take to land Samper.

To Jeorge Bird, writing for Squawka, that seemed like a fair price at the time. He stated how Samper had impressed for Barca during some brief cameos and full appearances in the Champions League: "On both occasions his core strength—his immaculate distribution—was in evidence, with Samper having averaged a pass completion rate of 93 percent across the two fixtures."

Samper possesses qualities that make him ideally suited to life at Barca. His steady passing and ability to play between the lines is at the heart of the club's possession-based philosophy.

More time in the first team, where he would be tutored by the likes of Sergio Busquets and Ivan Rakitic, would surely accelerate this promising player's development.

Barca should keep Samper in the fold a little longer, while securing at least one top-notch centre-back before the start of next season. The latter move would cement an already loaded squad's position at the top of the European game.