Report | Barcelona enter race for Rodrigo Bentancur
La Liga champions Barcelona have reportedly entered the race to sign Rodrigo Bentancur from Juventus after the midfielder has fallen down the pecking order in Old Lady’s squad. Premier League champions Manchester City are also in the hunt for the Uruguayan midfielder and are ready to bid in January.
According to the report from Daily Mail, Juventus midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur is wanted by Barcelona and Manchester City. The report further added that Manchester City have been scouting the 22 year old for quite some time but Barcelona are the latest club to join the race. The Spanish giants are ready to entertain offers for Ivan Rakitic and Arturo Vidal in the January transfer window and would like to add reinforcements in form of Bentancur.
Manchester City’s David Silva is bound to leave the Citizens in the summer and Pep Guardiola wants to add a midfielder to the team to cover for the Spaniard. Bentancur is a highly-skilled technical player and Guardiola has been impressed with him. Barcelona’s Ivan Rakitic is likely to leave the club in January and Ernesto Valverde thinks Benatncur can provide back-up to Arthur and Frenkie de Jong.
Bentancur’s situation with Juventus is deteriorating as the player has barely featured under new coach Maurizio Sarri. He has fallen down the pecking order to Miralem Pjanic, Sami Khedira, Blaise Matuidi and Aaron Ramsey. The Uruguay international turned 22 in June and has been in Turin for two seasons. He made 40 appearances last season but just three of his games this season have been from the start. Bentancur joined Juventus initially on loan with an option to buy and in April 2017 the Old Lady officials activated his clause and paid €9.5 million to Boca Juniors for his services. The former Boca midfielder has made 77 appearances for the Turin club.