Barcelona Transfer News: Mats Hummels Wanted Amid Arsenal, United Rumours

Barcelona are reportedly "stepping up their interest" in Borussia Dortmund star Mats Hummels, amid rumours Premier League giants Manchester United and Arsenal are also eyeing a move for the Germany international.

That’s according to German daily Bild (h/t the Daily Star’s James Walters), who claim the Gunners and Red Devils want to bring the 27-year-old to England during the summer transfer window, but Barcelona have now thrown their name into the hat.

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The Blaugrana defence has long been anchored by Gerard Pique and Javier Mascherano, but depth behind those two has been a major issue for years. The likes of Thomas Vermaelen and Jeremy Mathieu have proven largely ineffective, and a new player is expected to arrive at the Camp Nou.

The links with Hummels make some sense, as he’s yet to put pen to paper on a contract extension, per DW Sports’ Stefan Bienkowski:

Hummels has been with Dortmund since 2008, moving to the Signal Iduna Park on loan from Bayern Munich that year before joining BVB on a permanent basis a year later. He has become one of Germany’s regular internationals since, noted for his remarkable passing ability and aerial prowess.

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In many ways, he’s the prototypical modern defender: He doesn’t rely on power or brute force to win battles but uses smart positioning to get the ball out of the feet of the attackers and contributes to the build-up play almost as much as he defends.

Per Bild (h/t the Daily Star's Marc Williams), he recently dropped a hint he could be leaving Dortmund this summer:

"

I do not necessarily want [to leave], but I have to make a big decision.

I believe that all parties want to clearly hear the decision before the European Championship.

Now, if I do sign a long-term contract [with Dortmund], I will be 31 or 32 years old at the end of the season. At the moment I do not plan to play until I'm 38.

I want to play a certain kind of football but I also want to win titles. The better the team, the greater the stimulus, to be part of it.

"

While Arsenal and United both have defensive questions they’ll have to answer during the summer transfer window, the Barcelona rumours are arguably the most intriguing ones.

The Catalans’ possession-based style of play, where every single player has to be technically capable to help out on the attacking side of the pitch, would fit his strengths like a glove.

As you can see in the video below, Hummels’ passing range is extraordinary:

On top of that, Barcelona would present an intriguing destination. Hummels pointed at his desire to win titles, and no club has done a better job of that in the last decade than the Blaugrana. The Catalans challenge for the UEFA Champions League on a yearly basis, and DW Sports’ Alex Chaffer thinks that’s exactly what Hummels has in mind:

There are some major risks involved, however. Per Transfermarkt.com, Hummels has been plagued by persistent injuries in recent years, and his performances have suffered as a result. While the German is still a very good defender, he hasn’t looked like the world-class option fans might remember from the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

On top of that, Dortmund are unlikely to part with their star man on the cheap, and Barcelona already have two clear starters in Pique and Mascherano. An investment in a younger, cheaper player the club can groom might be a better alternative.

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