Amid speculations that Frenkie de Jong might be on the verge of leaving Barcelona, the Catalans are keeping tabs on several midfielders in the market.
Valencia’s Carlos Soler remains a top target for the Blaugrana, while Napoli’s Fabian Ruiz is another player that is very much on the agenda at Camp Nou.
Indeed, as per Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona are very attentive to Ruiz’s situation at Napoli, with the midfielder set to enter the final year of his contract with the Italian giants at the end of the season.
The 26-year-old signed for the Serie A outfit in 2018 from Real Betis and has grown into a pivotal player at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium. Barça have had their eyes on the Spaniard for a while now, but not much progress has been made due to Napoli’s excessive price tag.
A player versatile enough to essay multiple roles in the centre of the park, Ruiz is a subject of interest at Barcelona, with manager Xavi Hernandez also believed to be an admirer.
With talks over a new deal at Napoli coming to a screeching halt, an exit could be on the cards for the Spanish international. However, as things stand, the Catalan giants are yet to make a move for the 26-year-old and there have been no fresh contacts with the player either.
The report even adds that Barcelona could be cooling their interest in Ruiz, who is also on the radars of La Liga rivals Atletico Madrid and Premier League outfit Newcastle United ahead of the summer window.
The former Real Betis ace, for his part, is keen on returning to Spain, but Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis will fight hard to keep hold of his prized asset at the club.
So, while Ruiz might be a subject of interest for Barcelona, as things stand, he does not seem to be among the priority options for Xavi & co.
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