Barcelona Transfer News: Thibaut Courtois, Sergio Busquets, Riyad Mahrez Rumours

Barcelona are reportedly keen on landing Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois in a £50 million summer deal.

According to Mundo Deportivo (h/t Joe Short of the Daily Express), the Liga giants are considering a bid for the Belgium international stopper, with Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s future at the Camp Nou said to be uncertain.

Courtois is reportedly unhappy due to the Blues’ poor performances this term. After winning the Premier League in 2014-15, Chelsea have not even qualified for a European spot this season.

Personally, the ‘keeper has endured a frustrating year, too, blighted by injuries and poor form. Even so, he’s clearly a very talented stopper and excelled in La Liga during a previous loan spell with Atletico Madrid. Here’s a look at some of his best moments with the Vicente Calderon club:

If Barcelona are to lose Ter Stegen in the summer, a young goalkeeper like Courtois would be an ideal replacement. The Chelsea man may not be as gifted with the ball at his feet, but in terms of shot-stopping and commanding his area, he has the edge on the Germany man.

Even so, as HLN’s Kristof Terreur noted recently, the kind of money mentioned is a lot to spend on a goalkeeper:

If Barca were to cash in on one of their major assets in the summer, they could certainly afford that kind of money, although that looks unlikely to be Sergio Busquets.

According to L’Equipe (h/t Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Johnson), Paris Saint-Germain have shown an interest in purchasing the 27-year-old, although they have been put off by the asking price and the fact he’s in talks about a possible contract renewal.

Busquets has been a constant during Barcelona’s recent dominance on the domestic front and in Europe. Drafted into the side under former manager Pep Guardiola, his ability to see the whole pitch and make sharp decisions is unparalleled in world football.

David Ramos/Getty Images

As sports writer Patrick Boyland noted recently, the Spain star also has a nasty edge, something all top teams require:

Losing Busquets would mean Barcelona would have to formulate an entirely different style of play because there is no player in the game capable of doing the job he does with such distinction. That he’s set to stick around for a while yet will delight Blaugrana fans.

Looking at players who could potentially be added to the squad, Leicester City man Riyad Mahrez has been linked with a move to the Camp Nou this term, per the Daily Mirror (h/t Chris Winterburn of Marca). However, in the wake of their astonishing title triumph, the English club have promised to keep the squad intact.

Matthew Ashton - AMA/Getty Images

"We are not selling anyone," vice-chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha said on Thai television, per the Associated Press (via the Guardian). "We are not a team who produces players to be developed later by other teams."

Mahrez’s inventiveness in the final third has so often swung games Leicester's way. He was voted as the PFA Player of the Year recently, and these figures from OptaJoe sum up why:

The Algeria international is the kind of player who could definitely fit in at Barcelona. 

As talented as the Leicester star is, he’d also find himself down the pecking order with the Spanish champions, with Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar occupying the attacking berths. Factor in his current club’s willingness to keep this title-winning team together and this one looks unlikely to come to fruition.