The Daily Mail are reporting that top Barcelona officials met in New York this week to discuss the club’s transfer strategy for next season and that Chelsea defender David Luiz is one of their top targets.
Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova is currently in New York receiving treatment for cancer and is reported to have met with sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta, technical secretary Albert Valentín and football co-ordinator Narcis Julia to identify who can improve their squad for next season.
Vilanova is said to see Luiz as the ideal long-term replacement for captain Carlos Puyol and believes he would form a great partnership with Gerard Pique at the heart of the defence.
Chelsea are unlikely to want to sell the defender, especially to a big European rival, but if they do decide to sell they will demand much more than the £21million they paid to Benfica for him in 2011.
Along with Luiz, Barcelona are hoping to convince Santos star Neymar, who has said he wants to stay in Brazil until after the 2014 World Cup, to join this summer. Barcelona are said to have an agreement in place with Santos over the transfer, leaving David Villa to leave Camp Nou, with Arsenal said to be interested.
Source: Daily Mail
