Barcelona Transfer News: Andre-Pierre Gignac Permission Granted, Latest Rumours

Tigres head coach Ricardo Ferretti has said he would not stand in the way of striker Andre-Pierre Gignac joining Barcelona should the Catalan giants make an official move for 30-year-old. 

Barca would have to meet Gignac's release clause, but no one would block the Frenchman's move to the Camp Nou should it become a possibility, Ferretti said, per ESPN Deportes (via ESPN FC's Dermot Corrigan):

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As far as I know there is no communication between the club's hierarchies, although they say that Andre is on a [Barca] list. If there is some interest they would have to make contact. There is a release clause and if they come and pay it then we would wish Andre every success. I chatted with him about it today, half joking and half serious. He said these are the typical things that come out, and we will see what happens if there is an offer.

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Gignac has emerged as a Barcelona target only recently after they failed in their attempts to bring in Nolito, Kevin Gameiro, Luciano Vietto or Carlos Bacca to provide back-up for Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez, per Mundo Deportivo (via Corrigan).

Tigres director Miguel Angel Garza also addressed the rumours and said Gignac could leave for Barca if he wanted to, although he also insisted no contact had been made, per TDN show Super Estadio (via Corrigan):

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We heard about this through the media, but Tigres has nothing official or no contact from Barca for Gignac. Gignac's position is very clear—he wants to stay, he is a person who has brought so much to us in all ways, on and off the pitch. If Andre has a dream of playing for Barcelona, we cannot cut off this possibility, if it does come up.

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As noted by Garza, Gignac seems very settled with Tigres in Liga MX having joined the club from Marseille last summer.

He netted his first goal of the new season against Club America on Sunday, showing off his impressive positioning and touch, per Mexican football writer Rafael Diaz:

While he is undoubtedly a high-quality player, Gignac has done little in his career to prove he is good enough to be an effective contributor for Barcelona, a club aiming to win the treble next season, per Bleacher Report's Sam Tighe:

In five seasons at Marseille, he only once scored more than 20 goals in a Ligue 1 campaign when he netted 21 times in 2014-15, per WhoScored.com.

He might be an understandable target for Barca if he were an up-and-coming talent, but Gignac is likely past the prime of his career and would surely play only a very limited role at the Camp Nou.

Barcelona are struggling in their ongoing attempts to bolster their front line, though.

Their undisputed front three are magnificent, but they need further cover having tired at the end of last season following a gruelling year, per the Times' Gabriele Marcotti:

The likes of Nolito, Gameiro and Vietto would have provided ideal back-up, but they have all opted against moving to the Camp Nou, where they would likely spend much of their time on the bench.

Another reported strike target, Juventus' Mario Mandzukic, also looks set to snub Barca. According to TuttoMercatoWeb, the Croatian is determined to stay and fight for a spot at Juventus despite the recent arrival of Gonzalo Higuain and reported interest from Arsenal, Barca and Wolfsburg. 

Mandzukic, 30, would also have been something of an underwhelming signing for Barca, but he does at least have experience at the very top level of European football having represented Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid, as well as Juventus.

Gignac, meanwhile, has never proved himself at the highest level, and it seems very unlikely that Barcelona will make a move for him despite having missed out on several other targets.