Barcelona Transfer News: Latest on Luciano Vietto and Arda Turan Rumours

Barcelona have asked Atletico Madrid about the availability of forward Luciano Vietto ahead of next season.

That’s according to Tomas Andreu of Sport, who reported the Blaugrana are one of many clubs to have made inquiries about the 22-year-old, who struggled during his debut term at the Vicente Calderon. Barca manager Luis Enrique is said to be keen on signing a striker who could support the trio of Luis Suarez, Neymar and Lionel Messi.

“During recent hours, there has been a meeting between Atletico and the player's agents,” added Andreu. “The Rojiblancos are keen to maintain the player's rights and would be keen to let the 22-year-old leave on loan, recovering him at the end of the season. However, a transfer has not been ruled out, either, although the cost of a deal would be around €25 million.”

Vietto arrived at Atletico last summer with plenty of promise, having starred for Villarreal in 2014-15. Here is a look at what he is capable of:

The Argentina youth international has a lot of potential. He’s sharp around the penalty area, clever in his movement and showed a penchant for creating as well as goalscoring during his time with Villarreal. However, in 2015-16, he netted just one goal in 19 Liga outings for Diego Simeone’s side.

Despite Vietto's lack of action as of late, Spanish football expert Sergi Dominguez thinks getting the player in at the Camp Nou would cap off a fine transfer window for the club:

If the young forward is to go out on loan, then it should be to a club where he will play regular football. Sitting on the bench for a season at Barcelona and then returning to Atletico would see no parties better off; provided the Madrid club have a long-term interest in the striker, they’ll want to see him return to the Calderon in a year matured and in form.

A permanent transfer would make more sense for Barca, and Vietto deputising for the aforementioned attacking trio could be beneficial if he were their player. Plus, with the right guidance, the talent is there for the Atletico man to become an elite forward.

Arda Turan Set for Barcelona Stay

VI-Images/Getty Images

According to Arda Turan’s agent, Ahmet Bulut, rumours about the Turkey international leaving Barcelona this summer are wide of the mark.

“The interest [in Arda] is normal, but the rumours saying he is leaving Barcelona are false, he is happy at the club,” Bulut told the Guardian (h/t Sport). Juventus are also interested in signing the former Atletico Madrid man, according to CalcioMercatoWeb.it (h/t Lluis Miguelsanz of Sport).

The previous season was difficult for Turan. He had to sit out the first half of the campaign after signing for Barcelona because of the club’s transfer ban, and it was little surprise he looked rusty when integrated into the first team. 

It meant opportunities were at a premium for the player in 2015-16, and as these numbers from Squawka Football show, his poor form was carried into the UEFA European Championship:

"

Arda Turan’s #EURO2016 by numbers

3 games
1 chance created
0 shots on target
0 goals
0 assists#AskSquawka @d10s__ pic.twitter.com/OZo2ZCQ7Qt

— Squawka Football (@Squawka) July 11, 2016"

Prior to his move, Turan was one of the standout midfield men in La Liga. With Atletico, he was a persistent dribbler and capable of fulfilling various roles. Under Simeone, he added an industrious streak to his game too, something that, in practice, should see him fit into the Barcelona setup with ease.

With a full pre-season under his belt with the Catalan club, Turan will surely be better prepared mentally and physically for the season to come. But given Barca’s riches in midfield, when his chance does arise, the 29-year-old will need to make sure he takes it.