Barcelona have confirmed the signings of Joao Cancelo and Joao Felix from Manchester City and Atletico Madrid, with both players arriving on loan.
With less than three hours remaining in the transfer window, Barcelona have finally pulled off the deals that have been in the works for months.
Cancelo joins as Xavi’s first-choice target, with the club needing a right-back this summer, whilst Felix joins following admissions earlier this summer that Barcelona was his dream move.
In order to comply with financial fair play rules, both deals are straight loans with no options to buy, and the players join Oriol Romeu, Ilkay Gundogan and Inigo Martinez as new arrivals this summer.
A report from The Athletic has confirmed that the deals are in place and all the financial rules have been complied with, in a summer where Barcelona have struggled to complete deals.
Are these good moves?
Cancelo seems to be a good move, given Barcelona’s struggles at right-back for years. The 29-year-old arrives as one of the best attacking full-backs in the world, with a lot of pedigree having played at Benfica, Juventus, Valencia, Manchester City and Bayern Munich in his career.
Cancelo and Alejandro Balde are both very attacking full-back options, with it now clear that Xavi wants them to provide width, with his attackers moving central.
This has seen wingers Ousmane Dembele and Ansu Fati depart the club, with Abde Ezzalzouli set to follow, and Felix arrive.
Felix is a huge gamble. Having fallen out of favour at Atletico Madrid, and failed to impress on loan at Chelsea last season, getting rid of two La Masia wingers in Fati and Abde puts extra pressure on Felix to finally find his form and fulfil his potential.
In terms of incomings, it now seems that Xavi has had his wishes fulfilled, in the final hours of the window.