Barcelona Transfer News: Latest Rumours on Andres Iniesta and Julian Weigl

Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta has handed the club's fans a winter boost after reiterating his intention to retire at the Camp Nou. Elsewhere, it's been revealed the Blaugrana will need to face Real Madrid and Manchester City to sign Julian Weigl.

Iniesta spoke to Barca magazine (h/t the club's official website) this week and reflected on his rise through the ranks before voicing his desire to hang up his boots at the club when asked if he'd retire where his career began:

"

Let's hope so! That's my hope and has been for a long time.

When you start and everything is new, you never know what is going to happen but as things develop and become more important, you always have the hope of retiring here. I had the goal of being a success at Barca when I arrived and until I did that I was not satisfied.

There were difficult moments when I was happy to play 10 minutes here rather than more time in another team and that has allowed me to achieve other things.

"

The veteran will turn 33 in May, and with a little more than 18 months remaining on his deal, there were slim concerns Iniesta could follow former team-mate Xavi out the exit door late in his career.

However, that seems all but impossible following these latest comments. The matter is also helped by the fact Catalan newspaper Diario Sport (h/t ESPN's Sam Marsden) reported Barca want to renew his contract next year, and Iniesta is eager to sign new terms in kind:

Iniesta made his Barcelona first-team debut in 2002 and has featured as a crucial component in their ranks for much of the 14-and-a-half years that have passed since then, totalling 600 appearances for the Blaugrana.

Yahoo's Andrew Gaffney even mooted the notion Barcelona may struggle to fill the void left by Iniesta's eventual departure more so than they will when it comes to consistent talisman Lionel Messi:

Meanwhile, Spanish daily Sport reported Barcelona will enter a three-way battle alongside Real Madrid and Manchester City in their bid to land Borussia Dortmund starlet Weigl next summer.

Interest in the midfielder has been complicated by his recent contract renewal, however, and Ross Dunbar of DW Sports lauded a fine piece of business conducted by the Black and Yellows:

Barcelona sporting director Robert Fernandez has reportedly identified Weigl as the "new Sergio Busquets," and he's said to sit at the summit of a list of future talents the Blaugrana have identified as potential replacements.

Weigl has played the full 90 minutes in all but six of Dortmund's 22 matches in the Bundesliga and UEFA Champions League so far this season, showing just how heavily manager Thomas Tuchel has come to rely on his talents.

The 21-year-old boasts the kind of passing prestige that could make his transition to the Camp Nou an easy one if he were to arrive, and Weigl also recently hinted at some Spanish influence in his play, per Squawka:

It's unlikely we will see Barca making their move for the youngster just yet, considering his new deal and the fact Busquets, 28, has a few more years left to dazzle as the team's midfield general.

However, it seems clear Weigl is the man the Catalan giants are gunning for when they do move to find Busquets' eventual successor, at which point the Dortmund maestro may be more prepared to leave Signal Iduna Park.